Productivity Of The Coral Atolls

Interesting Survey by the South Pacific Commission

rHE South Pacific Commission has sent Dr. L. A. Catala to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands to commence work on ts Project E-6 (improvement of resources »n coral atolls). Dr. and Mrs. Catala are low at Tarawa. Dr. Catala has been.re- Based by the Institut Francais d’Oceanie Noumea) for this work for six months.

The investigations of Dr. and Mrs.

Jatala will include a survey of the physi al environment in the islands with a iew to discovering ways of increasing he quantity and variety of subsistence ,nd commercial crops, improving omestic animals and exploiting fisheries nd native handicrafts. The results are xpected to be of great value for islands f this type, ■N the South Pacific Area, the majority . of the indigenous peoples are found on the larger islands. But the prob sms of economic development are most cute with the dwellers on coral atolls nd the low islands.

The Gilbert and Ellice Colony is com rised wholly of these low islands; but tolls and low islands are found in iveral territories of the region, especially i French Oceania, the Cook Islands, the uamotu Group, the Union Group, some ' the Fiji Group, and others. The low lands are not so well off as the others ir experimental accomplishments, re lurces and trained personnel, and al tough they may receive the benefit of loradic investigations sustained studies ‘voted to coral island production prob ms have been seldom undertaken.

The low-lying coral islands, as a rule have ive a small area of arable land, little soil and water and consequently the iople’s means of livelihood are severely nited and handicapped. There are no istures or cattle; a few pigs and chickens ay constitute the livestock.

The coconut palm is the principal tree i these islands, with a few other kinds eful for local needs. Often the human Trying capacity of an island has been ached. In these cases it becomes neces ry to settle the surplus population else lere.

Copra has been the principal cash crop, id mats made from pandanus leaf fibre second source of income.

On most of these islands the soils are in, and deficient in essential minerals, ley seldom support coconut palms in 11 health and vigor. Yet there is in ?ht no plant which in any way promises be a suitable substitute, or better able endure the conditions.

According to the capacity of the soils, od plants consist of taro, breadfruit, ms arrowroot and Polynesian chesnut, id the introduced sweet potato, banana id some citrus, as well as pineapple.

The lagoon and reefs supply fish and ustaceans. Pearl and trochus shells Lye a market with the button makers, it the good shells do not always grow local waters.

The peoples of the low islands of the )uth Pacific are those most in need of *lp in the way of increased variety and aount of production. Improvement will >t be rapid, because they cannot sacrifice esent production for new or changing on a scale which would dis pt their present system and economy.

IJie Commission’s investigation will in ide such matters as: a. A programme of coconut-palm Im ovement designed to increase yields, td resistance to pests and diseases.

. . atnritM J f ie T .° f fruit tree, the developmerit of wet-l&nd to the area, the production of other food

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° f , WrttTy megg-laymg capacity, time and weight development, and free dom from disease. c. The collection of information with a view to developing shell fisheries by planting trochus and pearl shell, and assessing the possibilities of silk-grade sponges. ~, , . d. A survey of handicrafts with a view to their development as a means of im

proving the peoples’ material conditions of life and as a source of export Income.

There arrived in Sydney by the liner Himalaya in April a party of five, en route to Auckland and Samoa, there to join Mrs. Louisa Thieme, an old resident of Apia. The party comprised Dr. C.

Thieme, and his attractive German wife and small daughter; Mr. L. Thieme; and Mrs. Sennlng, who is their sister. The three Thiemes are the two sons and daughter of Mrs. Louisa Thieme and her late husband, Dr. Thieme, who were residents of Samoa when it was a German colony. Mrs. Louisa Thieme sent her children to school in Germany over 20 years ago; and they were caught up in World War n and the post-war confusion, and have only now been able to arrange transport to Samoa, which they regard as their home. Dr. Thieme hopes that his German medical degree will be recognised by the Samoan authorities, so that he may practise medicine in that country.