The Editors' Mailbag

BSIP Rice-Growing

Experiment Continues

Mr. Ken Dalrymple Hay, of Honiara, is good and mad about a sentence in a PIM story of last October (p. 32). The story was about the BSIP fishing industry, but the line that raised his blood pressure was about rice, and said that “a great deal of money has been wasted on the postwar developments of rice growing in the BSIP”.

“I am amazed that you allowed this to go into print without verify ing the fact,” says Mr, Hay, who himself has been concerned with the experiment, at his Ilu Farm, not far from Honiara. An enthusiastic story about this work appeared in PIM in September, 1960, p. 65, written by a visiting staff writer.

Mr. Hay sees in the passing refer ence to rice in October some kind of deep plot by a local correspondent “to damage an industry which could earn millions and save the BSIP from im porting about 3,000 tons of rice valued at £A240,000 annually to feed the population.”

He continues: “Since the rice campaign was started at Ilu Farm in 1960, the Gov ernment expenditure has been £A4,812, which includes £l,lOO of capital expenditure on machinery. My expenditure is approximately £A20,000, which includes complete fencing of the farm, housing for machinery, purchase of machinery, etc., and salaries and wages. In all a very small expenditure on a venture which could earn a quarter of million pounds annually.

“The Guadalcanal plains, of which Ilu Farm is a part, are ideally suited to the growing of irrigated rice. The land is level and well-drained by creeks, etc., which does not require any clearing of timber. The soil is suitable for rice and the sub-soil is clay which makes it hold the water for irrigation. The water is obtained by gravity from the Nalambu River and the main expenses are making drains and bunds. So far it has de finitely been proved that rice will grow and give yields of over 6,000 lb to the acre, but we are still looking for a type of rice which is not subject to lodging.”

Mr. Hay adds that he hopes a type of rice grown in Surinam (Dutch Guiana) will be suitable.

We say good luck to Ilu Farm and to the BSIP’s rice growing experi ments. But we also point out to Mr.

Hay that BSIP’s experiments with rice didn’t start in 1960 with his own ven ture. Government experiments were going on as far back as 1948 and it isn’t necessary for Mr. Hay to take our correspondent’s comment per sonally.

The Question of a

Whalesteeth Necklace

In friendlier tone is this note from Sydney V. Hagley, of Beaumont, South Australia: I’m sure that the member of the Fijian Armed Constabulary pictured on p. 92, PIM, February, as a proud Polynesian, would turn in his grave if he saw his whalesteeth necklace described as pigs’ tusks.

His necklace is made of split or sliced whalesteeth almost identical with that worn by Ratu George Kada vulevu Cakobau in the picture on p. 9.

Each slender piece is made by cutting a finger-thick sliver from a whalestooth, retaining the natural curve. These are then holed and threaded, being matched for size like pearls, with the longest at the bottom.

May I, again, say how much I en joy PIM. The full factual reporting of the whole Pacific picture is of immense value and PIM should be “required reading” in all our High Schools and, to avoid silly thinking, by all our Parliamentarians! • Sorry about those unfactual pigs’ tusks. We’ve had another try ( p . 27). Since when, by the way, have Fijians been “proud Poly nesians”?

Much Dedicated Work

In the Bayly Clinic

Mr. J. M. Hedstrom writes: The “Tribute to J. P. Bayly” which appeared in your February issue is an admirable tribute to a man who, for his benefactions and particularly for the J. P. Bayly Trust that his will established, will be remembered in Fiji for a long time to come.

However, there is one inaccuracy which I, who knew him for many years, feel sure Mr. Bayly would wish to be corrected. His own benefactions stand on their own merits, and he would not wish their list to be swol

len by gifts which were in fact m;j by others.

Your article refers to “the fui which he handed out publicly throi the Bayly Clinic”. Mr. Bayly provi« the building for the Bayly Clinic, i he equipped it. I believe he paid' salary of a nurse for the initial y© For that handsome gift the co munity, and particularly its poc members, are I believe sincen grateful.

But the free medical attention : drugs (for those who cannot affl to pay), the many thousands pounds worth of free food and do ing and comforts, have in the ei years since the clinic was opened b( provided not by Mr. Bayly but charitable bodies, manufacture merchants, and individuals, bothj Fiji and overseas, by a devoted bj< of voluntary workers in Suva w give freely of their time and lab( and substance, and most of all, Dr. G. R. Hemming, who conceii the idea of the clinic, and withr whose tireless and dedicated work clinic would not exist or function..

Wattle Watchers

Needed

Anybody interested in wattle wat ing?

Mr. R. D. Croll, B.Agr.Sc., of !

Maylands Ave., North Balwyn. v toria, Australia, is making a the wattle family. This family o braces the true wattles ( Acach which have fluffy yellow ball-like flower masses, the Mima (fluffy, too, but often purplish) Calliandras.

Mr. Broil says the Pacific Islas have several members of this fam and he would very much like to fcl from people willing to watch out : specimens for him. He stresses 1 interest in aiding his project J sufficient qualification—some botJ cal knowledge would be helpful not necessary. Would anyone terested in helping this scientific w* please write to Mr. Croll?

We Don't Mind

A note from Professor G. .

Browne, of Melbourne, when re m ing his subscription: Congratulations to Pacific Islet* Monthly. I enjoy it and find it y helpful. Every now and then I j it a mention on Professor Brow* Study, Channel 9, which runs evenings a week. I hope you db mind—it’s generally some very 1 teresting item of news.