Spuds Are Off!

rERE’S gloomy news for Island exiles whose stomachs turn over at the sight of the dry, uninteresting dalo—or taro.

During January, floods swept some of the principal potato growing areas of New Zealand, heavily re ducing the season’s crop. Exporters to Fiji, Samoa and Tonga in January had to cut their loadings to a fraction of the quantities ordered by Islands importers—and potatoes are likely to be right off the export list from now until next season. All supplies will have to come from Australia, with its less satisfactory shipping connections with those Groups. Prices are likely to be high.

In Rockhampton, in February, Kenneth Albort Bock, extradited from Port Moresby, and formerly of Samarai, pleaded guilty to stealing £5O in Rockhampton six years ago by fraudulently altering a Com monwealth Savings Bank record.

He expressed regret and refunded the £5O. He was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment, but sentence was suspended on his giving a bond to be of good behaviour for 12 months.

The Rev, and Mrs. A. W. E.

Silvester, veterans of the Methodist Mission in the Solomons, returned to New Zealand in December. Mr.

Silvester went to Vella Lavella 18 years ago, and remained when the Japs invaded. He organised the rescue of many Allied airmen shot down in the area, and was awarded America’s highest civilian decora tion. After a year’s leave Mr.

Silvester probably will be appointed

circuit minister.-

Ajs.