More People-Less Food

ALTHOUGH scientists from all Paci fic countries attended the Pacific Science Congress, held in New Zealand, several months ago, no newspaper appears to have attempted an appraisal of the practical value of the Congress. What did it accomplish in terms of human progress and se curity? Therefore, the following ex tracts from a recent article by Mr. W.

J. Blackie (deputy director of the Fiji Department of Agriculture, and a Fiji delegate) are interesting: THIS first post-war meeting of Pacific scientists was in several respects different from those which had pre ceded it.

Since the last meeting in 1939 the world had passed through a calamitous war, in which Pacific countries were largely involved. In the circumstances, the work of the Pacific Science Associa tion, devoted as it is to acquirement of knowledge for the development of Pacific territories, had to give way to the stark necessity of preserving that knowledge and culture which had already been ac quired—the natural sciences had to make way for the physical sciences distorted to the ends of War.

To some extent, therefore, the Seventh Congress was of the nature of a stock taking—a free interchange of informa tion, the definition of the task ahead, and the formulation of programmes of work.

The need for continuity of effort in the period between Sessions was clearly indi cated by the unanimous support given to the proposal for the establishment of a permanent secretariat and secretary general.

It was obvious, also, that delegates were especially concerned with the present

world position of increasing populations and diminishing food supplies.

It appeared to the writer that the dommating outlook of the Congress in the fields of Soil Resources, Agriculture and Forestry, and related natural sciences, was one of conservation along the lines 0 f improved agricultural practices—directed to the maintenance of soil fertility and increased production—and the planning of development in terms of the natural en-

vironment and approved soil conserva tion practices. This outlook was not aca demic in nature; it was essentially prac tical and dictated by the urgent need for remedial measures, while opportunity for restoration and improvement still re mains economically possible, No new ideas were advanced nor aca demic theories formulated; insistence was placed on the immediate application of approved methods of conservation,