Economic Hopes and Fears

In the British Solomons

[T is less than 18 months since the new British High Commis sioner for the Western Pacific Sir Robert Stanley) took personal harge of the British Solomon slands; and the lengthy report and eview of BSI conditions, which he übmitted to his Advisory Council n February 11, indicate that he as been completely on the job ince then.

It is a good review, because it does ot appear to hide anything; but it > a dismal review because it shows □ clearly the almost insuperable ifficulties of doing anything much dth the British Solomon Islands nder present conditions.

The report indicates that the rovernment has a double job—to ft the standard of native life, and ) so stimulate economic develop icnt that the huge archipelago pre mtly may not only be self-sup orting, but also provide funds for jal progress and better living tandards. i PART from a modest export of x timber, BSI has only one in dustry— copra production. Sir obert, with perfect logic, urges more agricultural production, through le stimulation of the existing coco at industry, the introduction of icoa and rice growing, and perhaps ittle-farming. But although hC Des not directly say so—it it clear om his review that he recognises lat there can be no real progress i these things until the BSI Gov •nment has solved the problems transportation, labour supply, and ,nd tenure.

The existing coconut industry, though it is heavily battered by i export tax and a tax on income, still doing pretty well, because : the consistently high world price : copra. In 1953, BSI produced 1,500 tons of copra, worth over ,000,000. But. with the immense ;reage available in the Solomons, lere should be a much bigger •conut industry operated there by jropeans. But European capital reluctant to go into the Solomons •cause of the uncertainty of future arkets, land tenure and labour ipply.

If that is true about copra, it is [ually true about cocoa and rice, aybe, in the decades to come itives can be trained to cultivate conuts, cocoa and rice; but that eans a long-term programme of pplying expert advice and prac- Jal help in education, medicine, Ticulture, and marketing. World •velopments, and events in Asia, ggest that time for these things what the BSI Government has »t got.

Sir Robert reports that, with a ew to seeing how much suitable ad is available for new enterprise,

a Lands Commission is now survey ing a part of the Archipelago—a slow business, which may take years.

He does not refer to the labour pro blem, which now exists for the dis couragement of big-scale European development. There are less than 100,000 natives in the Solomons— mostly on Malaita, which is only one of the half-dozen big islands.

He has been pressing hard for more agriculture experts to instruct the natives—but an embarrassing lack of trained staff is shown in various sections of his review. He can do little on the native side without expert assistants. He re ports that the Secretary of State has received favourably a request that a Commission should be appointed to review salaries and conditions of service in the Western Pacific Territory.

SIR ROBERT looks hopefully to developments in relation to timber and metals. A company, for years, has been milling Kauri timber in Vanikoro, and shipping it to Melbourne; and there also has been some lumber production around Honiara. But this industry is not growing much. The High Commis sioner is arranging a survey of all the timber resources of the Terri

tory, especially Kauri.

Sir Robert recognises frankly that the Territory is handicapped gravely by lack of transportation. He is urging the provision of more little ships, wherewith there can be better communication within the archipelago, and he does not mince words in pointing out the grave handicap imposed by the lack of port facilities at Honiara. It would appear, however, that Government activities in that direction are at present limited by the more urgent necessity of providing housing for staff at Honiara, and hospital buildings generally.

The BSI Government has been without its senior geologist for a long time, which handicaps the Government in its wish to follow up the possibilities of mineral de posits—notably, a deposit of man ganese, near the head waters of the Poha River. Geologists, how ever, are now busy on exploration and mapping.

It is noted that two small ships (108 ft.) are to be made available to the Administration very soon, for inter-island work.

The Government is actively en couraging experiments in cattle raising. This has been handicapped by lack of staff, but results are good.

Pending the provision of a suit able wharf at Honiara, “the off loading of cargo by lighters at Pt.

Cruz has reduced the delay, break ages and pilferage inevitably caused

by trans-shipment and consequent double-handling at Tulagi.”

Statistics For 1953

The following is a summary of in teresting figures quoted by Sir Robert in relation to the Territory’s finances:

It is interesting to note that, although the Solomon Islands essentially are a British headache, the above values are given wholly in Australian £’s. That is because the economy of the Protectorate is dominantly Australian. Yet Ans tralia, in a political sense, will have nothing whatever to do with the ;Solomons.

£ (Aust.) Total revenue for 1953 (exeluding special grants) 571.000 of Customs duties over estimate (due mainly to export tax on copra) 72,000 Receipts from Income Taxation 100,000 Actual expenditure in 1953 . 598,000 Amount bv which expend’re fell short of estimate, due to lack of material and slowness of building 190,000 Imports in 1953 1,084,000 Exports in 1953 1,614,000 Tons of copra exported, 1953 . 16,488 Tons of copra exported, 1952 12,925 Tons of trochus and green shell. 1953 563 Tons of trochus and green shell, 1952 240 S. ft. of timber exported. 1953 2,634,265 rS, ft. of timber exported, 1952 3,294.303