Rhino-Beetle Hatchery
p. 34 · Read in the full issue
EDITOR Dunleavy and his friends in Apia made a diverting dis covery in mid-August.
Hearing a well nigh incredible whisper, the newshounds descended on the Mulinuu rubbish dump, poked around for a few minutes, and came up with 18 well-developed Rhino-beetle grubs.
Admitting that this was probably only one of many such active breed ing-grounds around Apia, the De partment explained the difficulties of dealing with them, especially on private land. The Mulinuu rubbish dump, however, is a charge of the Health Department.
Mystery is how the Tokelau atolls, served by shipping from Apia and wholly dependent on a coconut economy, have so far escaped the beetle. If once established there, the population of 1,500 might have to face evacuation. —JPS