[?]ut Economy

[?]Rrors Of Peace

[?]And The World's [?]ut Economy

example of the kind of

ming by “experts”—especi

economists —in which the world has got itself en we commend a section of ntly published Report on Jopra Production, by Mr.

Howard (a w e 11-known man). oward’s report was sum in August PIM. In this full on, Mr. Howard recites the facts, but, significantly > comment. ;ars that some time in re ps, the United Nations set jod and Agriculture Organ :enerally known as FAO.

'unctions in Rome (why ias not been explained), leadquarters staff numbers han 1,000 people of many ties, and it has about 800 experts out in the field, is an “Economics Division,” rector is responsible to the •ector-General. “Economics has a “Commodities “Commodities Branch” its and Oils Section.” s of resolutions passed at st International Coconut ce,” held in Manila in 955 (see references in PIM ter months of 1955), asked :ome into the coconut pic make a survey of the world lustry, with a view to im production and suggesting i to marketing problems, resolutions appear to have in Rome early in 1956; as there decided that “the wnmittee on Commodity ” should, in June, 1956, be i begin a study of “The >conut Economy,” with par attention to “Production tilisation of Coconuts,”

Copra and Coconut Oil ,” and “Other Coconut 99 Committee, upon study and ion, agreed that further warranted, the matter was >efore the Second Inter- Coconut Conference, to be Colombo in February, 1957. decision will be taken on or not to set up an “inter mtal study group” to con problems raised, in greater noted that, when an FAO tion concerning olive oil this stage, the subsequent igs occupied 18 months, in se of which a number of “experts” had to undergo of residence in the pleasant the Mediterranean.)

It is unlikely that the FAO in quiry into “The World Coconut Economy” ever will achieve any thing beyond a vast pile of pigeon holed reports. The foregoing de tails are published merely as a horrible example of how a world, with too much money to spend, amuses itself with the countless tribe of Planners. Innumerable off shoots of UNO, and Plans, and

Commissions—theoretically praise

worthy but practically useless—are all in the same category. One some times wonders whether the wasteful ness of war really is greater than the extravagances of peace.—RWß. t Qantas Noumea office in October reported that it had one hundred New Caledonian bookings for Aus tralia during the Olympic Games period. They are being handled by the normal service.