Pacific Report

stantial investment, to which there has been a good response.”

Referring to transport, the Com missioner said: “Good progress has been made in the field of civil aviation. At the beginning of the year two technical experts made available by our Governments visited a total of 10 possible sites for local airfields and provided us with useful practical reports.

“Since the reports were received, it has been possible for the Joint Administration in association with the BRGM and the Aneityum Local Council to construct an airfield at Aneityum.

“Good progress has also been made in the construction of the airfield at Tongoa [since completed] and we are hopeful that further new airfields will be constructed in the coming year.

“The service provided by Fiji Airways between Suva-Vila-S ante and Honiara is to be increased to a weekly service shortly and it is hoped that the aircraft will go through to Honiara in one day thus obviating an overnight stop at Vila in each direction.”

The Commissioners stressed the importance of a joint regulation en acted during the year to establish a Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“The Chamber of Commerce will play an important part in the economy of the Group,” they said. “The vari ous economic interests in the New Hebrides will, for the first time, be brought together in a body which should rapidly become a means of achieving co-operation and mutual understanding.

“Businessmen, industrialists and agriculturalists will then, at last, have proper representation with Govern ment. They will thus be able to join together in the establishment and operation of projects of public in terest, such as warehouses, wharves, cold storage facilities, etc.”

The Commissioners said that a joint plan for agricultural develop ment, to be put into effect over the next five years, had been sent to their metropolitan governments.

One section of this plan—the IRHO coconut research station—was already being implemented, thanks to the generosity of the French Government, which was meeting the capital cost of the project in full, plus /six months of recurrent expenditure.

“In the field of copra improve ment,” the Commissioners said, “the Tongoa Local Council has taken a

very welcome and commendable le; by deciding to instal 20 hot-air cop driers, which the Agricultural D partment will help the council erect.

“In the field of animal husbandi the Agricultural Department has e tended its service to cattle ownei In this connection, we note that pla for the installation at Vila and San of refrigeration facilities for t h storage of meat are well advanced “These facilities, which will al be available for the storage of ii ported foods, are being finano mainly by local capital, and the pr moters are to be congratulated < their initiative.”

Other points made by the Coi missioners were that: ® Radio telephone services we likely to be extended to London ai Paris “in the near future”. ® An increase of £4,000 had be< provided in the Budget for educatio 9 Disorderly behaviour had n substantially increased following t relaxation of liquor laws in 1961. • The Joint Administration w anxious to see the establishment of: satisfactory wharf at Vila as soon possible.

Referring to the Budget, the Cor missioners said that estimated revem for 1963 had been fixed £5tg.676,000 and the estimated e penditure at £691,000, making necessary to provide £.15,000 fra reserves. The revised estimates f 1962 were: Revenue, £636,784; e penditure, £657,075.

The Commissioners said that t anticipated increase in revenue 1963 resulted largely from an e pected rise in the return from impc duties and the increased export manganese and fish.

After stating that they were nr budgeting for any major develor ments in the Condominium in 196 c the Commissioners said: “This is nr perhaps an exciting Budget, but \) believe that what is needed at preses is a pause during which we can n assess our problems and prepat plans to meet them.

“One of these concerns the ass© of the Condominium such as buill ings, vehicles and equipment, whk are old and which will have to T replaced without much delay.

“Whilst we can expect general help from the metropolitan countrii for development schemes, we mtu rely on our own resources for tH replacement of our assets. For thl reason, it seems inevitable that tH Condominium will have to raii more revenue if it is to match u to its responsibilities.”