Under Microscope

Distinguished Scholars Survey W. Samoa

From Our Own Correspondent

Auckland, Oct. 20.

rE Auckland University College Department of Geography will shortly implement a survey of Western and Eastern Samoa, financed partly by a Carnegie Social Science research grant.

The complete project will last for five years and will involve a field survey of resources, population, economy and contemporary land-use practices. The implications of a rapidly increasing population, land tenure, transport, commercial, agri culture, and social and economic difficulties arising from these, will all be studied.

The research team comprises five distinguished NZ academicians.

Asked whether this project would not be covering considerable ground

which the South Pacific Commission already has covered or is planning to examine, the head of the team, Professor K. B. Cumberland, said he was in communication with the SPC on the subject, and the Uni versity project probably would work in closely with the plans of the Commission.

Mr. V. D. Stace returned to NZ in mid-October after carrying out an economic survey of W. Samoa for the South Pacific Commission; and Dr. Norma R. McArthur, under a research fellowship grant from the Australian National University, was in Samoa in September study ing population trends and implica tions for the same body.

The Red Cross was making a drive in Suva, Fiji, in October to increase membership.

In Lautoka, Fiji, town planning projects are nalted pending settle ment of legalities involving the ownership of town lands.

Dr. W. H. Rees, Medical Officer, South Pacific Health service, rec ently transferred from Tarawa, Gilbert and Ellice Is. colony, to Nuk ualofa, Tonga, where he relieves Dr.

Cotton.