Plans for the Islanders 12th Session

Islanders 12th Session of South Pacific Commission

MORE copra, greater yield from fisheries, help for co-operative societies, improved diet and more reading matter for Islanders, are among the main targets on which the South Pacific Com mission will concentrate next year, according to decisions taken at the Dommission’s twelfth session, which included at Noumea on October 29.

Others are health education, re search on mosquito-borne diseases, community development, and in creased rice production.

The Commission considered its vork for Islands people could best ae carried on next year by con centrating its efforts and limited esources in selected fields. Its choice was guided by the recom uendations of the Islands delegates, rom 18 Pacific territories, who at ended the second South Pacific Conference at Commission head [uarters last April. These recom aendations were for Commission ction towards the social and conomic advancement and welfare f Pacific Islanders.

Values Of Foods

In the health field, the Com

mission adopted an expanded three year programme of nutrition re search.

The Commission’s bio-chemist, who recently returned from abroad, where he studied latest techniques in food analysis, will concentrate on laboratory research on the nutritive values of Islands foods.

The nutritionist will continue field studies on family diets in Islands territories, begun several years ago.

A food technologist will be appointed to recommend improved ways of preserving and storing staple Islands foods, such as fish, grains, roots and tubers. He will work closely with the fisheries and subsistence crops officers.

Control Of Diseases

The Commission noted that a specialist in mosquito-borne diseases had been appointed to expand the work being carried on to give effect to the recommendations of the con ference on filariasis and elephant iasis, held under Commission auspices in Tahiti two years ago.

The delegates to the South Pacific Conference last April agreed that health education was an urgent need for their peoples, and asked the Commission to make available suitable illustrated pamphlets and posters. This request will be given high priority in the health pro gramme.

Coconut Protection

In the economic development

field, the Commission approved con centration next year on projects re lating to expansion of cash crops, control of plant and animal pests and diseases, and development of fisheries.

Reference was made to the regional survey being carried out of the main crop of the area, the coconut, by the Commission’s specialist, Mr. W. V. D. Pieris.

Also noted was tha progress made in organising the campaign for con trolling the rhinoceros beetle, which is seriously threatening the coco nut industry in certain territories.

An entomologist has been engaged to work on beetle ecology and con trol problems in Western Samoa, where the pest made its first Pacific appearance in 1910. A second en tomologist will be appointed to undertake investigations in India, and possibly elsewhere.

Rice, Fish, Etc.

Rice is a valuable staple food in some Pacific territories. To de termine if this crop can be expanded in the area, it is hoped to arrange for an expert from the Food and Agriculture Organisation to make a survey of the rice-growing potenti alities of the region. He will also report on available types of mechanical equipment for milling rice, including small units for village use.

The Commission will continue its financial support of the Naduru loulou introduction garden in Fiji, which is engaged in the important task of selecting and introducing

new plants of economic importance to the area.

Fish is a main source of animal protein in the diet of Pacific Islanders. Next year the Commis sion will engage an expert to as sist and stimulate fisheries in vestigation and development in the region, including inland fisheries and pond culture. In general, he will work along the lines recom

mended by the fisheries conference held under Commission auspices ii Noumea in 1952.

In promoting economic developc ment among Islands peoples, thi main needs are incentives, orgam isation and instruction; of the ini stitutions available for meeting these needs, co-operatives are com sidered to offer the greatest proc mise of success. These are mail.

findings of a report on commercial relations in the Pacific islands, pre- Dared this year for the Commission ay Mr. V. D. Stace, an economist if the Reserve Bank of New Zea ,and. Publication and compre lensive distribution of this report vas directed at the twelfth session.

The Commission noted that Mr. 3tace was carrying out, as a Com nission-sponsored undertaking, an •conomic stocktaking of Western Samoa as the first stage of an ‘conomic survey of that territory. :t considered the results would in ;erest territories faced with the iroblem of expanding populations ind limited resources.

Growth Of Literacy

Last year the Commission set up he South Pacific Literature Bureau o stimulate the supply of reading latter for Islanders, for which an ,cute need exists. At the twelfth ession substantial expansion of the bureau’s work next year was uthorised. As well as encouraging reduction of general literature, it rill provide material such as that equested last April by South *ac!fic Conference delegates, who tressed that posters and pamphlets rere urgently needed to instruct heir people in such matters as illage hygiene and coconut culti ation.

The Commission will continue to ncourage planned community de elopment as a means of promot ig better living in Islands com mnities. It noted the marked in rease of interest in such schemes bat had taken place since 1951, hen it sponsored the pilot com mnity development project carried at by the Government of Fiji on loturiki island. Next year its sup ort for similar projects will mainly ike the form of providing tech ical advice and assistance to ter torial administrations on request.

The importance of co-operative icieties in the economic develop ment of the region was stressed at le second South Pacific Confer ee. Next year the Commission ill obtain an expert to advise a-ritorial administrations desiring >sistanc3 in co-operative matters, e will also prepare, for circula on among island peoples, simple ractical manuals.

Next Conference

The Commission decided that the bird South Pacific Conference will * held early in 1956. Lae, Apia, apeete and Noumea are being •nsidered as possible sites.

Solomon Islands Rubber Planta ins, Ltd. (one of a group regis red in Brisbane), had its best suits for some years with a £2,002 ■t profit for the year to July 31 •eference dividend, 10 per cent, kes £963. Paid up capital includes 0,000 in ordinary shares. The mpany is 43 years old.