Win First Place

Fijian Inquiry

Samoan Bananas Win First Place

From Our Own Correspondent TIME was when Fiji’s bananas were regarded in New Zealand as being of higher quality than Samoa’s, but when a group of agri culturists from Fiji visited Western Samoa for a week in August, the Samoan banana industry was one of the subjects for study.

New Zealand has recently com plained about the drop in the quality of Fijian bananas, and con sumers in the Dominion have been asking for the Samoan fruit —a de velopment which presumably in spired the August visit.

The party from Suva comprised Ratu Edward Cakobau, four agri cultural and administration officers, and a private planter.

Besides bananas, the Samoan cocoa and cattle industries were studied.

Despite the implied compliment of the Fijian mission, the Western Samoan banana industry also has its worries.

July shipments to NZ were 18,800 cases in the Navua and 12,000 in the Tofua. These shipments fell short of the quotas fixed by 1,200 and 5,000 cases respectively.

Exporters say that the shortage

was mainly due to the erratic tim ing of the shipping, which caused the bananas to be either over mature or too green to be loaded.

With normal spacing of ship ments at intervals of about a fort night, quotas could easily be filled.

Banana production in Upolu and Savaii is increasing rapidly.

fl Miss Nga Tariau, of Rarotong has qualified, at St. Helens Hospit; Auckland, for midwifery nursii certificate. She had earlier qualify for the general and materni certificates at Thames Public He pital, NZ. Miss Tariau is the fii full-Rarotongan girl to reach tB nursing standard.