Council Survey In
pp. 33-34 · Read in the full issue
Solomon Is.
Honiara, May 6.
HHE first meeting of the British L Solomon Islands Protectorate dvisory Council for 1952 was >ened in Honiara by the Acting esident Commissioner (Mr, P. ughes) on May 6, Members of the Advisory Council is year are— Non-official Mr. L. F. ill, The Yen. Archdeacon H. V. C. eynolds. Mr. K. H. Dalrymple ay, Mr. R. L. Dethridge and Mr. . H. Kuper. Official: Mr. W. T. harles (Judicial Commissioner) [r. P. A. Richardson (Secretary to overnment) Mr. P. M. Smith Acting Accountant-General) Dr. W. . McDonald (Acting Senior Medi ll Officer), Native members: essrs. C. Vouza, G. M., W. Paia, Sitai and M. Talasasa.
The Resident Commissioner, in his jening address, read a message from e Acting High Commissioner for Astern Pacific and briefly sum arised events in the Protectorate /er the last twelve months.
He referred to the rise in the S.I.P. copra pried which now stands £63/10/- at Honiara and £63/15/- Yandina; and to the recent storm image which swept away the re taining wharf at Honiara, as a msequence of which Tulagi has icome the port for Honiara’s ever ts shipping. He mentioned the re setting of Gizo, in the Western slomons, as a port of entry and the sit of a Banks Line vessel to Gizo i March.
The Resident Commissioner also >oke of the possible re-opening of art of the old American aerodrome ; Henderson Field to enable land igs to be made by Qantas four igined aircraft as part of a projected :rvice from Lae to the Gilbert and llice Islands Colony.
He gave a brief sketch of the ctivities of Government departments uring the year, and spoke of the :ute staff shortage in almost every apartment, which is making it ex emely difficult for present staff to sal with the work required to be ane, and the problem of obtaining mior officers with technical know dge for Departments such as Public /brks and Lands & Mines, He said lat the new Commissioner of /orks, Mr. O. G. Chapman, was spected to assume duty during me. The Protectorate seemed now, )r the first time, to be entering on period of considerable develop lent.
The Advisory Council adjourned
until May 8, to enable Non-Official and native members to submit the Address-in-Reply and to consider the papers which had been put before them.
Old And New Personnel
The Resident Commissioner (Mr.
H. G. Gregory-Smith) left for England on April 1. Mr. Peter
Hughes assumed duty as Acting Resi dent Commissioner. Mr. Hughes will go to England on leave on May 13 and then Mr. P. A. Richardson (at present Secretary to Government) will act as Resident Commissioner.
Mr. E. J. H. Colchester-Wemyss, Superintendent of Police and Prisons, 8.5.1. P. departed for England on
leave by Qantas on April 1. Mr. J L. Bergelin (formerly Inspector ot Labour) is acting in his place.
Recent arrivals for the Folia Department are Inspector J. Bucking ham, and Sub-Inspector A. L Lindley, both from the United King dom. Sub-Inspector J. F. Semple and Sub-Inspector Bradley arrived b> Qantas on May 5.
Mr. E. V. Lawson has beer appointed Secretary-Accountant ol the 8.5.1. P. Copra Board and wili take up his new duties on June 1 Mr. Lawson is at present Islands Manager of the Fairymead Sugar Co at Yandina. He came to the Pro tectorate in 1947 as Manager of the Government Trade Scheme and ir 1951 went to the Fairymead Co.
The new 8.5.1. P. hospital vessel M. V. Betua, arrived in Honiara ir April and is regarded by the Medical Department as admirably suited foi her job of carrying supplies, ferrying patients and taking medical officers to outlying islands. Betua will visit Tikopia in May, in company with M. V. Margery, to take building materials and supplies to that remote Polynesian island," which suffered heavy damage in the recent strong North-west blow.