yesterday

The war bulked large in the

affairs of the South Seas 20

years ago this month, as these

extracts from the issue of July,

1942, show:

All South Seas copra distribution was now Government controlled.

The only copra now available was being produced in Fiji, and com paratively small quantities pro duced in Tonga, Samoa, and Cook Islands and the French Colonies.

Planters sold direct to the Gov ernments. » « • Men of the American forces in NG and the Solomons were using the native village greens as base ball grounds, and the natives were picking up the game, and “display ing remarkable throwing powers”. * * • Our correspondent in Fiji re ported that this was the time to think about changes in the administration in Fiji after the war. There must surely, he said, be “a practicable plan’’. He felt that there should certainly be a separation of the offices of Fiji Governor and High Commissioner for the Western Pacific. * * • Since the war, the number of mosquitoes in Suva had risen sharply. Reason was that water was being held in slit trenches, tins, bottles and bamboos discarded by defence workers, drains were blocked by dumpings from new shelters and construction work, and there were hundreds of drums set up as an emergency water supply. Responsibility was placed on householders to keep down the mosquito larvae in their own areas, or risk heavy fines. • * « The amount of clothing coupons issued to New Guinea refugees in Australia was being described by them as “ridiculous”. The coupons permitted purchase of two-piece suit, one extra pair of trousers, two pairs of underpants, two singlets, four pairs of socks, two pairs of pyjamas, one pair of boots and one overcoat. There was no provision for items such as shirts and hats and, in winter, waist coats or cardigans, and the Islanders were feeling the cold. I * * * An appeal was to be made by the Pacific Territories Association against the official decision that compensation for damage suffered in New Guinea would not be paid for “consequential war damage”— that is, looting, and destruction and deterioration caused by the evacuation of owners and care takers.