Agricultural Policy In N. Guinea

What New Administration is Doing

The following summary of the activi ties of the Papua-New Guinea Depart ment of Agriculture was published re cently by the Director. Mr. W. Cottrell- Dormer : WITH the gradual de-militarisation of the combined Territories. the Department in Papua has taken over control of the Government Copra Plantation at Orangerie Bay, which is once more commencing production: and the Government Rubber Plantations at Kemp Welch, Kikori, Kokoda and Cupola, near Kerema, all of which have continued production.

It has also taken over the Mekeo Rice Project, of which Mr. Allan Ovenstone is at present in charge. There it operates a small rice mill and encourages the native people of the district to grow rice for food and as a cash cron, nadi rice being bought from supplies at the rate of Id. per pound.

At Sangara, near Higaturu, there exists another Native Project where, in normal times, the people produce coffee for sale to a small Government factory. This project suffered serious neglect during the enemy occupation and the services of an experienced officer are expected soon to be available to supervise the rehabili tation of the groves and, once again, to put the factory in operation.

All of these plantations and projects were established before the war and this Department is mainly carrying on the work of the previous Administration. But already a start has been made with new activities in Papua.

One of these which. I believe, has proven popular is the Laloki Vegetable Project where under the able supervision of Mr. George Gough, fine vegetable gardens have been developed across the river from the old Bomana Gaol Gardens, and are now helping in the provision of fresh food for Port Moresby.

Another new activity is the develop ment of a District Agricultural Station at Sogeri, under the charge of Mr. Colin Marr, where it is planned to grow a great variety of tropical crops and livestock, for the purpose of training natives in agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry. It is expected that trainees from this Station will be able to play an important part in the development of the Territory. It is planned that the Station will, in time, also provide a con venient centre for the giving of short courses in tropical agriculture and animal husbandry to Europeans.

IN the old Mandated Territory, the Department is conducting the two Agricultural Experiment Stations, which were established by the previous Administration.

At Keravat, near Rabaul, is the Low lands Station, where Mr. Frank Hender son is in charge, and Mr. Barney O’Con nor is busy with the study of pests of cocoa.

This station was very seriously dam aged by the Japanese, who uprooted whole blocks of pedigree cocoa, coconuts and other crops, at the same time des troying the results of years of work by Mr. Larry Dwyer, who was largely re sponsible for the development of greatly improved strains and varieties of these crops before the war. The arduous task of reconstruction under difficult conditions is progressing favourably and enough good material has been saved for limited quantities of seeds of cocoa and other crops to be supplied to planters.

At Aiyura, near Kainantu, in the Central Highlands, is situated the High lands Agricultural Experiment Station, where Mr. Aub. Schindler is carrying on

the great work started by the late Mr Bill Brechin under the direction of the late Mr. George Murray, and of ANGAU who were responsible for a considerable amount of expansion there.

This Station, as its name implies, is concerned with the study and develop ment of Highland crops, such as tea, blue mountain coffee, and quinine.

The biggest development has been In quinine, of which about 110 acres of various kinds from different sources have already been planted.

It is extending its activities further afield by establishing small plots of these crops in different parts of the Highlands, with a view to determining the most suitable areas for each, and observation and production are in progress, aiming at selecting or obtaining the highest yielding strains available.

This Station is also carrying out 'studies in crop-rotation, soil conservation, and systems of mixed farming, and with food crops for the improvement of native nutri tion.

ANEW development has been the stationing of an Assistant District Officer, Mr. John Hughes, at Lae, where preparations are being made for the staging and distribution of large numbers of imported livestock.

Another Assistant District Agricultural Officer, Mr. Gordon Wilson, will shortly travel to Sohano, in Bougainville, where he will establish a piggery and a seed farm in order that a practical contribu tion might be made in helping to over come the serious malnutrition from which many natives of that region are suffering as a result of enemy activity.

Similarly, Mr. Rod Savage, one of our stockmen, will soon proceed to Rabaul to commence the establishing of a piggery, so that well-bred stock can be distributed amongst the native people and others.

Our Entomologist. Mr. Lou. Froggatt, amongst his many other enthusiastic activities, has in hand plans for the study of control measures for the Giant Snail of Kavieng and the Gazelle Peninsula.

The snail was introduced by the Japan ese for food, and it now promises to become a most serious pest.

Two other services which are being rendered by the Department are the ever increasing distribution, with the help of the Department of District Services, of food crop seeds to natives and the answer ing of numerous enquiries from prospec tive settlers and others concerning agri cultural matters.

Under orders from their grand chief Naisseline, the Islanders of Mare in the Loyalty Group, have raised the 10-ton lugger “Onel” from the seabed in the little exposed port of Tadine, where she sank in a storm a few v months ago. She was in 28 ft. of water. The few local luggers play a big part in the island’s economy, supplying Noumea, 130 miles away, with produce and bringing back trade goods. The “Onel” had suffered considerable damage, but the natives are good tradesmen and have carried out all repairs.

A recent arrival in Noumea by the Pan- American clipper is Monsieur Pierre Chalier, a Tahitian volunteer, who fought with the Royal Air Force, and who was severely wounded in the left leg when his plane was shot down over England. He recently spent nine months convalescing in a New Zealand hospital, and is to re turn to New Zealand to work at the French Consulate in Auckland.

Mr. and Mrs. W. Chapman, who are well known in the Morobe district of New Guinea, where Mr. Chapman has inter ests in the Bulolo Valley, left Melbourne on January 16, on the first stage of their journey back to the Territory.

Mr. G. G. K. Setten has been appointed Acting Conservator of Forests in Fiji.