South Pacific

Commission

Conference In Fiji In April

Headquarters: Anse Vata Noumea, New Caledonia

Preparations for the South Pacific Conference, to open in Suva on April 24, have been advanced; but full de tails of representation of territories are not yet available. Representatives of all native races in the South Pacific will be present.

Papers to introduce various subjects for discussion are being prepared by the ad ministrations of the various territories.

For example, an Australian paper on Mosquito Control, a French paper on Fisheries Methods, and a United States paper on the Healthy Village.

The Research Council will noid its second meeting in Sydney in August.

Associate Members selected by the Com mission at the Fourth Session have noti fied their acceptance of membership.

Long-Term Plan of Research

IN addition to carrying out the present projects of the Commission, the Deputy Chairman and full-time members of the Research Council are working out plans for submission to the Commission and Research Council, for further development of the work pro gramme.

The plans will take into account, where possible, the needs of the next five years.

The Commission, at its last session, suggested such long-range planning, in order to provide for continuity and to in

dicate to the participating governments the approximate financial requirements of the Commission’s work for some years ahead.

Technical Assistance In connection with this long-term plan, the research members, in co-operation with the Secretary-General, are formu lating a draft programme of technical assistance for the area.

The Commission and the Research Council, at their respective meetings—in May, at Suva, and in August, at Sydney— will consider whether benefit for the area, in the form of expert assistance in technical problems (e.g., in agriculture, fisheries, technical education) can be secured in connection with the pro gramme of technical assistance which is being arranged by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Future of Plantation Products

THE Member for Economic Develop ment, Dr. Howard G. MacMillan, returned to headquarters at the close of the year, after visiting the United States and England.

A principal purpose of the visit was to examine present and future marketing possibilities for copra, cacao and some other products of the South Pacific Ter ritories, and to formulate an opinion on production possibilities.

Dr. MacMillan had discussions in Washington, DC, with various authorities in the US Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture and other

agencies, also with large commercial firms in San Francisco and London, and authorities of the Colonial Office and the Imperial Institute.

Copra and Coconut Oil In respect to copra and coconut oil, Dr. MacMillan found that experts were generally impressed by the following fac tors affecting prices: • There has been a great scarcity of all fats and oils, but stimulated produc tion of several vegetable oil plants, aided

by the return of considerable acreages neglected or out of control during the war, would point to a coming surplus of fats and oils. •Tallow prices are down, but coconut oil is three or four times pre-war prices. • There is a large production in other oil seed plants. • At the moment, however, there is a shortage, variously estimated up to a million tons, which may be modified by the effective demand.

Cacao Prospects

In Washington, also, Dr. MacMillan discussed the situation in regard to cacao with the agencies carrying on disease in vestigations, crop improvement and other experimental investigations.

It was felt that because of the serious losses in Africa from virus disease there is the prospect of an accelerated decline in production in the face of increasing world markets for chocolate in all its

forms. The South Pacific chocolate has a good reputation among the manufac turers in America.

In all matters relating to tropical agri culture there is a very great fund of in formation and experience available in London in the Colonial Office and the Imperial Institute. The facilities of these agencies were generously offered.

The US Department of Agriculture has many projects under way in the Carrib bean region, Central and South America, in addition to a large fund of information on world problems in general.

Unscur

While in New York, Dr. MacMillan at tended the United Nations Scientific Conference on the Conservation and Utilisation of Resources, from August 17 to September 6, 1949, at Lake Success.

This conference brought together many of the principal authorities of the world for the presentation of papers and dis cussion on land, water, forests, wild life and fish, minerals, fuels and energy, and innumerable problems under these general headings.

Mr. B. E, V. Parham, OBE, Senior Ag ricultural Officer, Suva, Fiji, attended the Conference as observer on behalf of the South Pacific Commission. During Dr. MacMillan’s visit to London, Mr.

Parham was also present and contributed valuable experience and advice to the discussions with the British experts.

A number of useful personal contacts Were made' with scientists from many countries. The papers presented were available on all subjects and contributed much material, new approaches to old problems, fresh points of view, which should be of great advantage in attacking the problems of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries in the area of the South Pacific Commission.

Introduction of Economic Plants

IN connection with project E.l, the Commission has made grants-in-aid to the Fiji and New Caledonia ad ministrations for introduction gardens at Naderolulu (Fiji), and Port Laguerre (New Caledonia). The latter represents a combined effort of the Departments of Agriculture and Forestry and the Veter inary Service of New Caledonia, who will develop a tract of land of about 1,300 acres, together with a farm school—the southern part as an introduction garden (about 400 acres). The Commission will give technical advice, in addition to financial assistance.

Ways in which the Commission might assist similar work in Australia and Netherlands New Guinea are being con sidered.

Lists of plants and seeds needed have been sent to various persons and institu tions. These lists included trees for re afforestation, pasture grasses and legu minous ground-covers.

The tribe of the “Col de la Pirogue” gathered almost a thousand kilograms of seeds of Leucauna glauca (the “acacia” of the settlers) to serve in the first at tempts at re-afforestation in New Cale donia.

The Forestry Experiment Station at Buitenzorg, Java, is making available several kilograms of seeds of Pinus mer kusii, the valuable fire-resistant Sumatra pine, as well as seeds of other economic ally valuable plants.

Land Utilisation A report on land utilisation and con servation measures in other tropical countries has been prepared.

The Governor of New Caledonia has consented to the carrying out of a pilot land-use survey in New Caledonia north of Bourail.

The team to carry out this work will consist of a forester, a soil scientist and a surveyor. Appointments are under con sideration.

Control of Pests and Weeds A list of noxious weeds of the South Pacific region is in preparation.

Particular attention is being given to the guava, which was introduced as a fruit tree in Fiji in 1857, and later in the more Western region, and which has become a major pest. A Member of the Research Council made a study of the extent of this calamity in the region of Poya, New Caledonia, where, with the collaboration of a grazier, it is hoped to make experiments with weed-killers of various types.

The Director of the Institut Prancais d’Oceanie, Dr. F. Bugnicourt, is making a study of fungous parasites of rice grown in the South Pacific, and the Commis sion’s Research Staff will assist in this study. The Institut is assisting the Com mission in other ways, for example it has provided laboratory space for investiga tions incidental to Commission projects.

Health—Food—Nutrition

THE Member for Health, Dr. Massal, has defined his plan for work in the important field of diet and nutrition.

The work proposed includes detailed surveys of the diet of infants and young children, and of the effects of new foods on their health and growth.

The work will include comparisons of growth and health of two similar groups, one being fed according to customary methods, with customary foods, and the other fed with foods prepared according to new formulas.

An Australian nutrition worker, Miss S. Malcolm, is being sent to New Guinea, the New Hebrides, and the Solomon Islands to carry out work of this kind.

During the course of these investiga tions on infant diet it will be possible to collect data on the diet and nutrition of older children and adults.

Tuberculosis The tuberculosis research team began to assemble at Port Moresby in the first half of February, The team will consist of:— Dr. Guillermin, of the French Colonial Health Service, seconded to the Commission for one year.

Mr. W. H. P. Love, from New Zealand, X-Ray Technician; Miss B. Balfour, bacteriologist, from the laboratory of Professor S. Rubbo, Professor of Bacteriology, University of Melbourne.

Professor Rubbo will accompany the

team for about two Weeks initially, in order to give technical advice.

The programme of the team is as follows: Papua-New Guinea, 4 months (two months on the coast and two months in the Central Highlands); New Caledonia, 2 months; A short visit to Fiji and American Samoa; Western Samoa, 2 months; French Oceania, 2 months.

In Tahiti, the Representative Assembly has set aside a substantial sum for the purchase of mobile X-Ray equipment, and has sought technical advice from the

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Commission on the equipment to be ordered.

Information has been received from Fiji on BCG vaccination. Final results are not yet available, but the potency of the vaccine, and its innocuousness, seem certain.

The chemical concerns, Burroughs, Wellcome (Australia) Ltd., and Specia, Paris, have sent free supplies of Banocide and Notezine, which have been sent to the Institute for Filariasis research in Tahiti, for use in treatment tests.

Other Studies Various studies are now in progress.

For example researches are proceeding into aspects of the diagnosis or treat ment of filariasis, tuberculosis, yaws, leprosy, rheumatic fever and other diseases prevalent in the Pacific Islands.

Together with Mr. Legand, of the In stitut Francais d’Oceanie, a study of toxic and venomous fishes in the Pacific has been undertaken.

Social Development

Vocational Training (Project S.l) THE Government of Fiji and the Com mission, have agreed that Mr.

Derrick, MBE, AMISE, will begin his survey of needs for technical training in the islands on April 1, instead of January 1. This arrangement has the advantage that it will enable Mr. Derrick to be in Fiji during the South Pacific Conference to meet the representatives from the Territories and make a pre liminary assessment of needs.

Visual Aids to Education Mr. A. L. Moore, MA, BEd., spent five weeks in Papua in November and Decem ber with the object of determining the best methods of visual education for Islands peoples. His tour in Papua and New

Guinea was arranged by Mr. W. C.

Groves, Director of Education and Asso ciate Member of the Research Council.

He was accompanied throughout by Mr.

J. Cox, Visual Education Officer in the Department of Education of Papua and New Guinea.

In January, Mr. Moore spent a week in New Caledonia on the same project, and a few days in Fiji. He will later visit Samoa, the Cook Islands and Tonga to demonstrate methods of visual education and examine related problems. It is hoped that he will also be able to con sult Mr. F. R. J. Davies, Officer for Islands Education in New Zealand, who is compiling films suitable for presenta tion to native audiences.

Pacific Islands Languages Dr. A. Capell, PhD, Lecturer in Oceanic Languages at the University of Sydney, visited Australian and Netherlands New Guinea in January, under the auspices of the Commission, in order to fill In some gaps in the linguistic picture of the region.

A knowledge of the distribution and relationship of the languages of the region is a necessary foundation for a comprehensive attack on illiteracy.

Dr. Capelhs journey brought him into contact with the languages of the whole northern Littoral of New Guinea, from Madang to Biak (including the islands).

By thus supplementing the literature available, and through discussions with linguists such as Dr. H. K. J. Cowan and the Rev. I. S. Kijne, at Hollandia, and Mr.

E. de Bruyn, at Biak, he should be able to prepare a rough delineation of the lin guistic pattern of northern and north western New Guinea, Co-operative Movement At the Fourth Session (Noumea, October, 1949) the Commission placed high priority on the project and decided to allocate £l,lOO to an expert survey of the

Co-operative Movement. Inquiries for a suitable specialist are being made.

Community Development (Project 5.9) A further meeting of the Advisory Group which, under the leadership of Mt. Hayden, is supervising the com munity development experiment on Motu riki Island, is to be held shortly and it is proposed to commence preliminary work early in 1950. (See Pacific Islands Monthly for December, pp. 61-62.)

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Facilities For The Commission

IN order to simplify travel through the South Pacific by approved officers of the Commission, the Governments of Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have formally recognised the proposed Laissez-Passer, in the form and on the conditions approved by the Com mission at its Fourth Session.

A draft agreement concerning Privi leges and Immunities for the Commission in New Caledonia has been received from the French authorities.

Personnel Dr. Jacques Kerrest, laboratory special ist, Research Assistant to the Member for Health, arrived at headquarters on January 17. Dr. Kerrest’s services have been made available by the Director of the French Colonial Medical Service.

Mr. W. D. N. Johnson, of the Australian Department of Commerce and Agricul ture, has accepted appointment as Stat istical Officer, and will take up duty probably in March.

M. Rene Ferrand has been appointed Establishments Officer. M. Ferrand is on loan for one year from the New Cale donia Administration.

Miss Leonore Morris, a graduate of Adelaide University, has accepted, ap pointment as Secretary-typist to assist the Member for Health, Dr. Massal.

The national distribution of the tech nical and administrative staff of the Commission (permanent and temporary), excluding the clerical and stenographic grade, is at present as follows: Australia 5, France 4, Netherlands 3, and United Kingdom, United States and New Zea land one each.

Mr. T. O. U. Stockwell of Lomaloma, has, as a result of declining health, asked to be allowed to relinquish his Commis sion as a Justice of the Peace for the Eastern District of Fiji.