Commission

South Pacific

Research Council Meets At Sydney University

Headquarters: Anse Vata Noumea, New Caledonia

THE second meeting of the Research Council of the South Pacific Com mission opened in the Senate

Chamber, Sydney University, on August

7. (The first meeting was held at Noumea in April of last year).

The following members and part-time members attended:— DR. L. G. M. BAAS-BECKING, Deputy Chairman of the Research Council.

DR. E. MASSALL, Member for Health.

DR. H. G. MacMILLAN, Member for Economic Development.

MR. H. E. MAUDE, Member for Social Develop ment.

DR. J. M. CRUIKSHANK, Inspector-General South Pacific Health Service, and Director of Medical Services, Fiji.

DR. J. A. C. GRAY, Captain (MC), USN Medical Corps.

DR. J. C. LOPDELL, Chief Medical Officer, Apia, Western Samoa.

DR. J. T. GUNTHER, Director of Public Health, Papua-New Guinea, Port Moresby, New Guinea.

DR. M. E. J. M. HECKENROTH, Major, Colonial Health Service, Colonial Hospital. Noumea.

DR. F. BUGNICOURT, Director, French Oceanic Institute, Noumea, New Caledonia.

MR. J. G. CRAWFORD, Secretary, Department of Commerce and Agriculture, Canberra.

MR. D. R. EDEN, General Manager, NZ Reparation Estates. Apia, Western Samoa.

MR. B. E. V. PARHAM. Senior Agricultural Officer, Suva, Fiji.

DEAN K. A. RYERSON, Dean, University of California, Davis, California.

MR. J. V. DE BRUYN, Assistant Resident Com missioner, Biak, Netherlands New Guinea M. M. GRANGIE, Director of Education, Noumea New Caledonia.

MR W. C. GROVES. Director of Education Papua-New Guinea, Port Moresby, New Guinea.

MR - F - J ’a 9 RA J rTAN > secretary of Samoan Affairs, Apia, Western Samoa.

MR. H. HAYDEN, Director of Education, Fiji and Educational Adviser Western Pacific Hieh Commission Territories.

Representatives from various institu tions and certain individual specialists were also included as observers. (In some cases, institutions and specialists advised that arrangements could not be made for attendance.)

The provisional list relating to ob servers included:— Australian Department of Health New Zealand Medical Research Council Institut Pasteur de ITndochine.

World Health Organisation.

Ind bei^) CinC Fisheries Council (Dr. Harden- Pisheries Division of the Commonwealth Scien ivrrll^ 0 !. n V n^ Strial Research Organisation.

Mr R. E. P. Dwyer. Department of Agriculture Papua-New Guinea.

Mr Baker ’ Direc tor of Agriculture, Cook Pacific Science Association (Professor Elkin of Sydney University) The School of Pacific Studies of the Australian National University (Professor w R Crocker).

A “sydney

Programmes Of Work

THE main business before the Coun cil was the definition of the Work Programme for 1951, to be recom mended to the Commission at its Oc tober Session. Statements were sub mitted by the Deputy Chairman, the Members for Health, Economic Develop

ment and Social Development and the Secretary-General of the Commission.

Referred to the Council for considera tion were many of the resolutions of the First South Pacific Conference (held at Nasinu, Fiji, in April-May) and some specific questions—for example, measures for preventing the transmission between territories of diseases of stock and plants, and the provision of simple reading mat ter for literate island peoples.

The Council had to consider also the means of obtaining technical personnel to carry out its projects.

It also had before it a draft of a limited programme of “Technical Assistance” for South Pacific territories.

Other matters included publications, the possibility of producing a bibliog raphy of scientific and technical litera ture concerning South Pacific problems and the question of relationships between the Commission and specialised agencies —e.g., the World Health and Food and Agriculture Organisations, and UNESCO.

The Conference resolutions, which the Research Council has been asked to re port upon to the Commission concern the following subjects: mosquito control, filariasis, public health propaganda, compositing, disposal of sewage and re fuse, fisheries (methods: of marketing, fish-nond culture, deep-sea fishing), farming methods, crop diseases, eco nomic development of coral atolls, and preservation of foodstuffs.

Commission’S General

Activities

AT the conclusion of the South Pacific Conference in May, the Secretary- General (Mr. W. D. Forsyth) paid official visits to Western Samoa, Eastern Samoa, Rarotonga, Tonga and Aus tralia in May and June.

The Executive Officer for Health, Dr.

Emil Massal, visited Saigon, Geneva (WHO), Paris and Washington, in June

and July. Dr. Massal returned to Noumea on July 28.

The Executive Officer for Economic De velopment, Dr. MacMillan, visited Fiji in June, for discussions in connection with the economic development of low islands (Gilbert and Ellice)—Project E 6.

The Executive Officer for Social Development, Mr. H. E. Maude, visited New Zealand on Commission business in May, on his return journey from the South Pacific Conference at Suva.

In Fiji, the Deputy Chairman of the Research Council, Dr. L. G. M. Baas Becking, made various visits and con tacts in Fiji in April-May including the following: To Dr. Leslie Verrier, who has developed unique statistics of Fiji; to the leper colony at Makogai, where he was particularly interested in the lo cal production of chaulmoogra oil and various Government gardens. With Mr.

French-Mullen he was the guest of Mr and Mrs. Harold Gatty, at the island of Katafanga, in the Lau group, which gave him a unique opportunity to examine a partlv volcanic, partly limestone island.

In a conference with the Financial Secre tary of Fiji, statistical methods were dis cussed, with a view to possible applica tion.

The Deputy Chairman completed a re port on his visit to Tahiti, in March- April, part of which (on plants intro duced into Tahiti) is available on re quest.

News was received from Rarotonga that the Albizzia moluccana has been found suitable for the preparation of fruit boxes. This, combined with the rapid reafforestation powers of this tree, might contribute to the welfare of Rarotonga.

Seeds of Hibiscus sabdariffa (the Java jute) have been distributed over the area, and the Director of Agriculture, Rarotonga, has notified that fibres pre

foroexamination. Plant Wi “ be submitted * N - from the Department of Entomology. Hawaii, is studying the distribution of the fruit flies (Dacids) in the Southern Cooks, and is also collect mg carnivorous snails in relation to pro jected measures against the Agate-snail (Achatina fulica).

At Headquarters THE building of houses which will be available to members of the staff has begun in the Mt. Coffyn area of Noumea. Several houses are expected to be ready for occupation by the end of the year.

Work on the reconstruction of the Pentagon Building and the recondition ing of the grounds has continued. The formation of gardens has commenced, and further plans for the development and beautification of the grounds are being considered by a Grounds Commit tee comprised of members of the Com mission staff.

Up to the last week of July contribu tions in respect of the Budget for 1950 were received as follows: Australia £19,875 9 0 (part payment) United Kingdom .. .. £12,000 0 0 (part payment) France £16,547 17 6 (payment in full) Mr, R, Webb took charge of the Sydney office (c/o NZ Trade Commis sioner, 14 Martin Place) in June. Mile.

Limage accepted appointment as Chief Interpreter and arrived in Sydney from Paris at the end of July. Mr. J. O’Hagen, of the staff of the Reserve Bank of NZ, accepted appointment as Research As sistant to the Executive Officer for Eco nomic Development in July. Miss R.

Oldfield rejoined the Commission staff as secretary to the Executive Officer for Economic Development.

Prom 10th to 15th July a Retreat was held at Buma, Malaita, for all the priests of the South Solomons Vicariate. The Retreat Master was the Reverend Father E. Roe, late of Fiji, Father Roe, who is Provincial of Marist Missions in Oceania, was a chaplain in the R.A.F. during the War.

A recent Fiji Times advertisement,

seeking bows and arrows, has led to the discovery that an archery club was formed at Nadi Airport early this year.

The president of the Fiji Archery Club is Mr. lan M. Ogilvie, of the airport; and the founder and first life member, Mr. A.

P. Alfinson, gained sixth place in a postal tournament conducted by the New Zea land Archery Association in connection with this year’s British Empire Games.