[?]eed To Familiarise

[?]atives [?] r ith Modern Commerce

REPORT on an economic L survey made in 1952-53 for the South Pacific Commission in ji, Eastern and Western Samoa, tpua-New Guinea, Dutch New uinea and New Caledonia by Mr.

D. Stace, economist on the staff the Reserve Bank of New ;aland, has been published.

Lack of understanding by most icific Islanders of a money onomy, and insufficient attention ► economic development of the ‘ea, were the outstanding features vealed by the survey. Lack of chnical and agricultural educa

tion was very evident, and called for correction.

Mr, Stace is strongly in favour of fostering native co-operative societies, which give the people practical experience and training in providing and making use of credit facilities. This lack of credit facilities for the native populations is regarded by the Commission as a major problem.

Co-operatives reward the in dustry of individuals more directly than the normal village custom.

Participation of the Islanders in commercial activities was impor tant, in Mr. Stace’s view. He has recommended that trading banks should be urged to employ natives in clerical and skilled capacities,

and that banking facilities be ex tended to Islanders wherever possible. if Lt.-Col. A. H. Stafford, OBE, ED, and Mrs. Stafford left Suva in the Oronsay on February 2 to make their home in the United Kingdom.

Mrs. Stafford was Miss Doreen Rennie, a member of one of the oldest European families in Fiji.

She is one of the Colony’s leading artists. Col. Stafford has been in Fiji since 1923 and has always been connected with the Fiji Defence Forces. When he retired in January he held the post of Chief of Staff.

He was awarded the OBE in 1946 as a result of his war service.