Not Much Effect

From B.S.I.P.

Political Toddy

From a Honiara correspondent Solomon Islanders have just had their first sip from a cup of political toddy. It occurred when about 600 of them at tended a meeting at the Point Cruz picture theatre called by the elected member for Honiara in the BSIP Legislative Council, Mr. W. D. Ramsay. The meet

ing was aimed at getting people

to talk about their political

problems.

All unofficial members of the council were seated on the stage at the meeting. Opening it, Mr. Ramsay said that when last May he had asked people to vote for him at the elections he had not been given many ideas as to what the people wanted.

Most voters had talked about racial discrimination. This time he wanted to hear specific complaints and con structive suggestions.

Mariano Kelesi, member for North East Malaita, then took the chair and invited applications from those who wished to talk. He got a list of 12 names, two of whom were Europeans in government service.

There were no women at the meet ing.

Discrimination

All the speakers criticised th e elected members for not being able to fulfil obligations. They discussed such subjects as copra exports, the beautification of Honiara, a sugges tion to limit the number of churches, racial discrimination, handouts to islanders from private companies overseas, and they asked why Solomon Islanders did not have stores like the Chinese. Nobody put forward any views on the future pattern of constitutional development.

On discrimination, speakers were aware that Honiara’s Hotel Mendana has now reversed its policy against Melanesians in the lounge or the accommodation block and is now open to all who behave decently and dress correctly. One speaker wanted to know why clubs did not do the same thing.

At the meeting there was an under

current of thought that the white man in the Islands has more than he needs or deserves.

Mr. Ramsay stressed again that what unofficial members wanted were ideas from the electorate. The doors of the elected members were open for anybody who wanted help, but it was up to people to seek out their member to tell him what they wanted rather than leave him wondering. If nobody put forward constructive sug gestions the elected members’ task was made more difficult.

Mr. Ramsay pointed out that his own difficulties as member for Honiara were greater than those who represented rural areas and who could get around the villages.

All-in-all the meeting was not a great success, as the object of it got lost. But it was a step in the right direction.

Nickel

The protectorate at the moment is having an up-and-down time, and not only on the political front. There is optimism on development, with the BSIP keeping its fingers crossed waiting for the results of the assess ment of 50,000 tons of nickel being test mined. This should be known by the end of the year. For years the BSIP has been awaiting realisation of the great promise of its mineral resources and the government is hoping that at last something might come from nickel.

Meanwhile 2,500 acres of rice on Guadalcanal Plains has recently been crop dusted from the air, and big yields are expected from it—perhaps enough to do away with the neces sity for importing rice.

But Britain’s devaluation of ster ling has not helped the Solomons.

There is likely to be some redis tribution of trade imports, but the apparent advantages of cheaper UK sources of supply are likely to be offset by increased freight rates from Britain and by improved supplies and maintenance services, and the con venience, of Australian markets. It is still too early for the new trade pattern to become evident.

The Melanesian Mission is prob ably one of the worst hit private organisations—it lost a lot on ex change in Britain and New Zealand.

Devaluation cost the BSIP Govern ment £Stg 1 million off the budget, and this has meant an all-round prun ing, with expansion curtailed in most departments. The Government has asked Britain for the £1 million to be reinstated and is hopeful of a favourable reply, although there has been no answer yet.