[?]Ekeo Natives Are Now

Growing Rice

LTHOUGH the P-NG Admi nistration has been trying for some years to turn the Mekeo ives of Papua into rice growers, gress has only recently become arent.

Then the Administrator, Brigadier VI. Cleland, returned from a re t tour of the Mekeo district he 1 there was no doubt that the r scheme, introduced last year, been accepted by the majority he natives. nder the new system, the Rural gress Societies were replaced by age Co-operatives which pur je and market all native-grown : Payment is made immediately crop is delivered and this spot i return is providing an in ive for natives to plant increas acreages. le natives are being encouraged :row rice not as a village pro but in extended family plots. y have the option of growing r crop entirely by hand or hav the land mechanically cultivated sown under agreement with the artment of Agriculture. le total area cropped this year 180 acres, resulting in at least ons of rice for sale. This will the producers a return of oximately £B,OOO. le European grower, with about

expects t 0