Fiji's War On Rhinoceros Beetle

South Pacific Commission to Direct Research and Attack

[NCE it was discovered, early in March, that the Rhinoceros Beetle, deadly menace to the omit industry, was established in i, near Suva, administrative and nmercial forces have gone into ion. under the direction of the vernor of Fiji and his Depart nt of Agriculture, in a way lorn seen in these lethargic days, luring the past month, the fol- Ing steps have been taken:— > Teams of searchers, numbering mt 150 men, have combed the tricts around Suva, It has been ived that the whole of the area it, north and north-east of Suva, m the western side of the har ir right around to Laucala Bay, i including the Nasinu district, beetle-infested. • Said the Governor (Sir Ronald rvey) : “The infestation is light I scattered; but so long as the tie is present in any part of Colony, or in any neighbour territory linked with Fiji by imerce, there is a danger that infestation may spread to the acipal copra districts.” (Com atively little copra is produced Viti Levu. Fiji’s valuable coco ; plantations are in the other nds —especially Taveuni, on the er side of the Koro Sea.) Men are being trained to go out d the infested districts and tematically destroy all substances ich might harbour the eggs and t ae of the beetle—especially dead her and decaying vegetable tter. From March 1 to May 5, searchers found and identi l 21 adult beetles, 18 pupae, 444 bs and about 150 eggs.

The Fiji Government provided ,500 for the early campaign inst the beetle.

A wider scope and stronger im us was given to the anti-beetle ipaign when Sir Henry Scott, of ra, went to the chairmanship of South Pacific Commission,, in imea, as the direct representative the Governor of Fiji. The Gov or had suggested that this war inst the pest was essentially a tter to be dealt with by the nmission; and Sir Henry in ned the Commission that, in er to encourage an immediate rt, Fiji would guarantee a fund ilo,ooo Sterling, to finance opera is.

The Commission accepted the pro posal at once, and endorsed the following plan submitted by the Commission’s plant and animal quarantine officer, Mr. L. J. Dumble ton, who had just returned from a personal examination of the posi tion in Fiji (where he worked closely with Mr. B. A. O’Connor,

Fiji’s senior entomologist) ;

Two entomologists and one chemist will be engaged for work on this special project.

One entomologist will study the cultural, climatic and biological factors which de termine the population level of the beetle, in Western Samoa and adjacent countries, with special reference to biological con trol by means of parasites, predators, or disease which can be transferred from India to the Pacific. A special search would be made in Asia and Africa.

The second entomologist will test attractants, study beetle ecology (and the colonising of parasites, if required) in Western Samoa, among other places.

The chemist will work on the extraction and fractionation of palin extracts, and the preparation of materials for testing, and possible attractants. This work could be done in existing laboratories in Fiji or Hawaii, or possibly Noumea.

India and adjoining countries were sug gested as the location for part of the work, since those countries were believed to be the original home of the beetle, and controlling factors may exist there which do not exist in the Pacific countries. The fact that the beetle does not, in general, do as much damage to palms in India and adjoining countries as in some parts of the Pacific where it has recently appeared, supports that supposition—although it may be that human or agricultural factors played a part in keeping the beetle population lower there than in the Pacific.

Plans at this stage are to be on the basis of a three-years period.

The Commission authorised the Secretary-General to give effect to the project, subject to any technical modifica tion which may be recommended by the Research Council at its next meeting.

IN order to finance the anti-beetle

campaign, the Fiji Government

is imposing a levy of £2 per ton on all copra sold through the Fiji Copra Board, and an additional 1/8 per ton on copra bought for milling

in Fiji.

The beetle has been established in Western Samoa for 40 years— it is believed to have been brought from Ceylon in a consignment of rubber plants. It has done a great deal of damage to palms in Samoa, but has not wrought the destruction that might have been expected A year ago, it was found to have become established in Vavau, Tonga: and indications were that it had been introduced there two years be fore that. It is believed that the pest spread from Vavau to Suva be fore it was discovered in Vavau.

The Tongan Government has taken most vigorous measures against the beetle in Vavau. Our

Vavau correspondent, writing late in April, says that the anti-beetle campaign is going so well that the total eradication of the insect is ex pected. We are reminded that the Tongan island of Niuatoputapu, some years ago, was far more badly infested than Vavau has been, and the Tongans there eradicated it completely.

The Fiji inter-island vessels Yanawai and Degei were scheduled to make special trips to Makogai leper hospital in May with parties from various parts of Fiji who will visit friends and relatives who are patients on the island.

The Rhinoceros Beetle.

David (on the left and Cecil Cheng, sons of Mr. C. L. Cheng, of Suva, were among the graduates in engineering who were “capped” at the University of Sydney on April 22. They received their Chinese primary and secondary education in China, and then entered the University of Sydney in 1949. The photograph, taken by Mr. Cheng outside the Great Hall after the graduation ceremony, shows David (right) and Cecil, with Mrs. Cheng.

The youngest son, Homer Cheng, is also a third year engineering student at Sydney University.

Mr. and Mrs. B. R. Roach who were married in Suva Cathedral recently. Mrs.

Roach was formerly Miss Olga Sinclair of Noumea, NC; she wore an ice blue, street-length frock with matching hat, for her wedding. A reception was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Glover of Suva.

Mr. Roach is in charge of the Vacuum Oil Co’s, new bulk installation at Vuda Point near Lautoka, Fiji. When the installation is complete shortly, he and his bride will return to Noumea.