And Now-Png’S Copra

[?]e Minister Has Plans

Papua and New Guinea has another plan—to maintain and develop the coconut planting industry in the Territory. The plan was announced in mid-October from Canberra.

|AIN points of the plan were I outlined by the Minister for Territories in a press state nt. The points are; I Establishment of new coconut areas on suitable land; the ex pansion of existing coconut plantations where unplanted 1 land is still available on exist ing leases; i Replanting of old and declin ing areas on existing planta -1 tions where land is suitable for ' coconuts; The interplanting of coconuts with cocoa on suitable land where the practice would be advantageous; ) The use of livestock on planta tions where suitable; ) Intensified research, experi mental and investigational activities.

'o encourage new plantings and replanting of declining stands coconuts, the Territory Depart it of Agriculture will establish cted seed gardens at strategic its for distribution of seed nuts planters and native growers, o encourage improved methods plantation maintenance, demon ition plots will be established to w the value of cover cropping to carry out tests on mechanical 5s control, surface and deep ivation, control of pests, fertil s, and grazing for grass control, estigations will be undertaken mechanical dehuskers and on lous types of copra driers. he Department of Agriculture intensify investigations into the ctice of intercropping with )a. he extension services of the lartment of Agriculture will en rage native coconut producers to pt a high standard of plantation iene to reduce the dangers of in infestation and to use cover >s to build up soil fertility. The ives will be encouraged to plant e palms for both food and as :ash crop. Planting distances be selected so as to enable er management to be under in and in suitable areas to enable rplanting with cocoa later, atives will be taught the most able methods of preparing copra market and other aspects of mut production by means of ares, simple pamphlets, films,

filmstrips, demonstration plots and demonstration driers.

Selected natives will be trained in coconut production techniques such as lining, nursery work, planting out, establishment of cover crops and in the construction and opera

tion of copra driers. These natives will be employed by the Territory Department of Agriculture as Ex tension Assistants.

Copra inspection staff will be trained in drying methods in order to advise planters on driers and methods of copra drying. Copra grades and the standards required in other countries, particularly con sumer countries, will be constantly studied to keep up the quality of Papua and New Guinea copra.

Editorial Note

The plan is a good one and long overdue—the coconut industry upon which the P-NG Territory depends for largest part of its income has

been officially the most negleo?

Income from copra in 1954-55 about £7,000,000. However, it plan that requires manpow* trained manpower—to implement and that is something that, acca ing to Mr. F. C. Henderson, a ! official of the P-NG Department Agriculture, the Department not got.

At the time that Mr. Hasluck: making his announcement in 0 berra, Mr. Henderson was gi; evidence before the Arbitrs Court in Port Moresby. Accon to Mr. Henderson, it was noti for new and graduate techu officers of the Dept, to arrive hr Territory, take one look at co: tions under which they were posed to work and live and dea immediately again for Australis: Mr. Henderson gave a dozen: stances of officers who had rece quit the department because ccc tions did not please them. H© timated that the Dept, could J even keep its typists—they left! cause there were better ind; ments outside in private emg ment.

Plans without men to carry tt out are useless. The Territon stiff with plans—all competing the men and materials with wa to put them into effect. We w like to know what Canberra g to do about that —the great fundamental problem: men.