Developing Outports in Fiji

fl The Rev. Father Connolly, Superior-General of the Columban Fathers, visited Fiji in December.

If Passengers leaving Auckland by Maui Pomare for the Cook Islands in November included Mr. K. M.

Davidson to take up an appoint ment as electrician, Public Works Department, Rarotonga; and Mr.

J. R. Underhill, who will join the Customs Department.

The photo shows a recent scene at [?]avusavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji. Lying at [?]nchor is one of the Bank Line vessels, [?]aking on a load of copra by lighter as [?]0 deepwater berth is available. These [?]essels call perhaps four times a year.

In the right foreground is part of the Government wharf built only a few years [?]go, and currently catering for the needs [?]f inter - island vessels such as the "Yanawai”, “Ai Sokula” and so on. It [?]s already in such a bad state that the [?]hole structure sways with the movement [?]f the vessels tied up there. Repairs are [?]lanned. To take this photo the photo rapher stood on one of a number of [?]ement piles which have been cast this [?]ear and now lie waiting on the beach or the next step.

In the centre of the picture is a P.W.D. [?]arge from which soundings were being [?]aken for the piles for a big extension [?]f the wharf-head. When completed, the

wharf will be 100 ft. long with adequate depth for the copra ships, and capable of handling two holds at a time. Lighter ing will then no longer be needed.

There are some critics who point out that the copra mill in Suva, operated by Island Industries, is capable of handling all the copra produced in the Colony.

It is said to have never yet worked at full capacity. If it is to do so, then the copra now being shipped direct to the UK from Savusavu will have to be diverted to Suva, so that overseas vessels will not need to call here, and so the bigger wharf will not be needed. Mean while, local people just take it all in and await developments.