Islanders

Practical Help For

Work of SP Commission

PROBLEMS relating to the

economic and social welfare of Pacific Island peoples are be ing discussed this week at the fifth annual meeting of the South Pacific Commission’s expert advisory body, the Research Council. The meeting extends over 12 days until June 20.

The Council comprises 22 mem bers (four permanent officers of the Commission and 18 appointed each year by the six member Govern ments) . Most of them are econom ists, doctors, agriculturists and

educationalists actually working in

Pacific territories. This is the full list: Dr. E. M. Ojala (Deputy Chairman of Research Council).

Health

Dr. H. J. T. Bylmer (Director, Public Health Department, Netherlands New Guinea).

Medecin Colonel P. Filippi (Director of Health Services, New Caledonia, and of Army Health Services, French Pacific).

Dr, J. T. Gunther (Director, Depart ment of Health, Papua-New Guinea).

Dr. T. C. Lonie (Director of Health, Western Samoa).

Dr. E, Massal (Executive Officer for Health, SP Commission).

Dr. R. W. D. Maxwell (Acting Inspector- General, South Pacific Health Service).

Dr. Clark Richardson (Director of Public Health, Truk, Micronesia).

Economic Development

Mr. Homer Baker (Director of Economic Affairs, Trust Territory of Micronesia).

Mr. D. R. A. Eden (General Manager, NZ Reparation Estates, Western Samoa).

Dr. A. H. J. Kroon (Executive Officer for Economic Development, SP Com mission).

M. M. Legand (Acting Director, French Institute of Oceania, N. Caledonia).

Mr. B. E. V. Parham, OBE (Deputy Director of Agriculture, Fiji).

Dr. A. Perk (Director of Economic Affairs, Netherlands N. Guinea), Mr. J. E. Willoughby (Assistant Secretary, Department of Territories, Australia).

Social Development

Dr. Homer G. Barnett (Professor of Anthropology, University of Oregon, USA).

Dr. Ch. J. Grader (Director, Breau for Native Affairs, Netherlands N. Guinea), Mr. W. C. Groves (Director, Department of Education, Papua-N. Guinea).

M. J. C. R. Guiart (Ethnologist, Institute of Oceania, N. Caledonia).

Mr, H. H. Hickling (Education Officer, Cook Islands).

Mr H *r. ™ande. OBE ( p xe „ ut!ve officer for Social Development, SP Commission). - ii , _i\, Dr. A. J. Patterson (World Health Organisation).

South Pacific Commission

Sir Brian Freeston, KCMG, OBE (Secretary-General).

Mr. John Ryan (Deputy Secretary- General). J

Future of Western Samoa

An economic stock-taking of Western Samoa is now being carried

out for the South Pacific Com mission by Mr. V. D. Stace, an economist of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, whose services have been loaned to the Commission.

This, the first stage of an economic survey, is being made to facilitate development of the Territory’s re sources. This is a major need of the increasing population, which has grown from 33,000 to 86,000 in 30 years.

Results of the survey should in terest other South Pacific Terri tories faced with similar problems of expanding populations.

Practical Advice on Coconuts

A series of leaflets on coconut cultivation and plantation manage ment is being prepared by Mr, W. V. D. Pieris, copra specialist to the South Pacific Commission. They are practical, well-illustrated, and written in non-technical language, and will be available later this year.

Mr. Pieris, formerly Deputy Director of the Ceylon Coconut Re search Scheme, has recently in vestigated coconut production in Fiji, Western Samoa, American Samoa, the Lower Cook Islands, Lifou and Uvea (Loyalty Group), New Caledonia, Guam, the Eastern Carolines, and Marshalls. He is going to French Oceania this month.