Quoted as Example for NG

[?]Raws In The Wind?

New Tolai Cocoa Enterprise Quoted as Example for NG

HE Tolai people of New Britain I have set an example for their npatriots throughout Papua-New linea with their remarkable agri lural schemes in the area near haul, said Dr. John Andrews, of [ney University, in a paper read [the recent Science Congress at Ibourne. >r. Andrews said that the com rcial growing of cocoa by the in enous people on their own lands frlls out new hope that this rich [fertile country can be developed [the benefit of a world hungry its many products, and at the b time secure independence and fsing standard of living for its ibitants.” iarious factors tend to inhibit the b-scale expansion of old-style, bpean-managed plantations, said 'Andrews, pointing out that the tent apparent prosperity of the ritory was largely due to such pliable causes as the high price popra, the large sums (from fcralian taxation) which the ernment is spending, and heavy kling from the wages of Euro

pean employees of the oil and other companies (September PIM, page 54).

ON the other hand, he said, the Tolai people have demonstrated in a most positive and concrete fashion that the indigenous people of New Guinea have the ability to develop and exploit their own country on a sound economic basis.

They have shown that, given the chance, native intelligence is equal to the task of coping with the problems of the modern world which only recently impinged on them.

These people have already planted about 1,500,000 cocoa trees in the Gazelle Peninsula, this total repre sening nearly half the total plant ing in the area.

Dr. Andrews said that although the planters had had encourage ment and assistance from the Ad ministration, a second remarkable fact was that the control and man agement of the scheme was in the hands of the village councils, a new political instrumentality set up since the war.

These councils administer revenues

of up to £6,000 per annum, and from these funds they have set up medical aid posts and other facilities, as well as schools which have trained

clerks and artisans to run the ventures.

Investment of capital has been necessary on a substantial scale to construct the fermentaries and other plant required for processing the cacao pods before marketing.

DR. ANDREWS pointed out that about £BO,OOO will be needed for 20 new fermentaries to cope with the produce of the hundreds of thousands of trees which have not yet come to bearing.

Referring to special factors in volved in the Gazelle Peninsula enterprise, Dr. Andrew said that the soil neaf Rabaul was fabulously pro ductive, and in no other part of the world do cocoa trees bear so heavily.

Further, the Tolai are the most sophisticated of the New Guinea people, and have the longest history of association with Europeans.

He suggested that the Govern ment should undertake the testing of various areas to find their suit ability for various crops and enter prises.

It should also provide European managers and technical people to start such schemes and train selected natives to extend and de velop the projects.

Such a scheme would not be a charge on the Australian taxpayer; the managerial staff salaries would be paid out of profits on a strictly commercial basis.