Copra-Planters’ Rewards
p. 99 · Read in the full issue
DESPITE the failure of Papua-New Guinea, over many years, to plant up any large new areas in coco nuts, the copra production of the Territory in the year ended June 30, 1952, was 80,000 tons. This is rather better than the average production, pre-war.
The Copra Marketing Board’s decision to distribute another 50/per ton in respect of that year (“result of a successful trading year”) therefore put £200,000 straight into the pockets of Terri tories planters—a pleasing kind of Christmas box.
Production at the rate of 80,000
tons annually, at the present (MOF >’ price of copra, represents an annual income for P-NG copra producers of close up to £A5,000,000 per annum The Rev. Father Sebastian Schweiger returned to the Roman Catholic Mission, Rabaul, in Decem ber after overseas leave. He has been in Rabaul district for 20 years.