Solomons

Recovery In The

High Commissioner Reviews The Difficult Situation For Advisory Council

THE Advisory Council of the British Solomon Islands met in the new ad ministration headquarters (Honiara) on February 24.

The following message from the High Commissioner of the Western Pacific, which was presented to the Council, gives a summary of administrative conditions in the Protectorate.

His Excellency commented upon the slow and painful recovery that all coun tries were making from the devastating effect of six years of world-wide war.

There was a long road to travel and many difficulties to be overcome before there could be complete recovery. He proceeded: “In the Solomon Islands progress has been retarded by a number of factors arising directly from the war generally; and, particularly, from the fact of a large part of the Protectorate having been under enemy occupation and an active theatre of war. Important among these factors are: The shortage of shipping and the consequent impossibility as yet of restoring adequate oversea shipping communication; the extensive damage to property; the unsettling effect on the population of the war and the presence in the islands of very large numbers of personnel of the Allied Forces.

“The most important immediate issue facing the Protectorate is that of re habilitation of the native population,

and non-native planting interests, in the war-devastated areas, and of the econ omic life of the Territory generally.

“As you are no doubt aware, the ques tion of compensation for war damage in British Territories, which were overrun by the Japanese, is under active consid eration by His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, and a Commission will presently commence the work of in vestigation of war damage claims in the Western Pacific. In the meantime a scheme has been approved for advances to planters in need of immediate finan cial assistance for the rehabilitation of their plantations.

“The fact should not, however, be lost sight of that although it is intended to

exact reparations from Japan in respect of such war damage, the extent of the damage throughout the Far East and Pacific is so great that it is unlikely that the maximum amount which can be re covered as reparations will meet more than a portion of the damage. Only when the whole extent of the damage has been finally assessed will His Majesty’s Gov ernment be in a position to decide how much if any of the excess over repara tions can be shouldered by the already overburdened United Kingdom taxpayer.

“In this connection you will observe from the estimates now before you how heavy a contribution, in addition to any grants under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, has already to be sought from His Majesty’s Government

towards the restoration and maintenance of the Civil Administration.

“I must therefore impress upon all re sidents of the Protectorate, native and non-native alike, the importance of all pulling their weight and each making the most effective contribution within his power towards rehabilitation and econ omic recovery. I hope that the chiefs and leaders of the native peoples throughout the Protectorate will do their utmost to ensure that their people em ploy themselves usefully in work for their own and the common good, such as the rehabilitation of their villages and gar dens, and that they will give, every en couragement to all young men amongst their people who can be spared from their village communities to seek em ployment jelsewherei within the Group and thus contribute their share to the common good of their homeland.

“mHE economic recovery of the Protec- X torate is dependent' upon the re sumption of copra production and the speed of recovery will be in propor tion to the volume of production while the present high market price continues.

It is also important, in view of the world food crisis and the extreme shortage of edible fats, that every effort should be made to increase copra production to the utmost and thus assist, in however small a degree, towards world, as well as local, recovery.

“Unfortunately, however, little progress can be looked for in the Protectorate until an adequate oversea shipping ser vice can be provided for the freighting of necessary supplies and the return of plantation and trade personnel; and while the present difficulty in obtaining labour continues. This labour difficulty is an important factor which must be borne constantly in mind in all plans for rehabilitation and development.

“Legislation has recently been enacted to provide for the development of Native Administration in the Protectorate. The Regulation gives legal sanction to the establishment of Native Councils and provides the necessary authority for their operation.

“The establishment and successful operation of these local Authorities should go far towards meeting native aspirations and in consequence should contribute in no small degree to the wel fare and contentment of the native peoples.

“Other matters which I wish briefly to mention are: • The appointment of a Director of Education, who is now on his way to the Protectorate to organise a comprehen sive scheme of education; • The revision of the Labour legisla tion of the Protectorate, to bring it into line with modern standards and give effect to various International Conven tions to which the Protectorate is a party, the revised draft of which will be placed before you; • The recent completion of a survey of the forest resources of the Solomon Islands by Mr. F. S. Walker, whose re port on his work should be available shortly; • The modification of the scheme for the construction of the new capital by the greater utilisation of local resources.

“In view of the impending departure from the Pacific of His Lordship Bishop Baddeley I take this opportunity to ex press my warm appreciation of his ad vice and assistance in the Advisory Council during his long membership, as well as outside that Council, and also of his long and devoted service to the wel fare of the native peoples of the Pro tectorate. I wish him every success in his new sphere.”