World Rice Production

IARLY forecasts are that world i production of rice in 1952-53 season will be a record. In cased acreage and favourable ather are responsible.

Ct is estimated that about 170 llion tons will be harvested— iich is about five per cent, above 3-war average. [t is unlikely that there will be y fall in price—population in )ase in rice-eating countries has >re than kept pace with the :reased yield.

The Commander of the Fiji Mili tary Forces, Commander C. L.

Pleasants, left in February for

Malaya, to visit the First Batta lion of the Fiji Infantry Regiment.

Mr. J. B. Hicks, MBE, Senior Clerk and Customs Officer, left Honiara, BISP, by MV Muliama on.

January 29 for Australia, on pre retirement leave after 28 years’ ser vice with the British Solomon Is lands Protectorate Government. He went to the Solomons in July, 1925 as Third Clerk and Boarding Officer in the Customs Department at Tulagi.