Solomons council meets

Keep spending down in the 1974 udget, emphasised the High Com lissioner for the Western Pacific, Sir llichael Gass, when he opened the rst meeting of the new BSIP Gov ■ning Council in July. Sir Michael ave two warnings; • To avoid being persuaded by rofessional experts, both inside and utside the BSIP, into approving 3Stly and grandiose schemes which le protectorate could not possibly fford and which in many cases, were »tally inappropriate for the country; • The grant-in-aid from the UK i 1974 would make it necessary to rune some of the draft estimates Iready prepared by departments, ouncil members would have to >sess priorities and suggest possible eductions in services and costs.

The grant-in-aid was unlikely to weed the 1973 figure of $l.B dllion. As local revenue was limited * about $6 million, recurrent ex mditure could not be allowed to ex ;ed that of 1973 to any great extent.

One of the main aims of the Sixth

Development Plan was to develop natural resources so that, in time, local revenue could increase, and reduce the dependence of the pro tectorate on external support. It was encouraging to see better prices for copra and timber—even though they might be only temporary —and the first exports of fish. There might be definite news about bauxite mining by the end of 1973.

Sir Michael also spoke of the UK Government review of expatriate staffing in dependent territories. The main conclusion was that there were special long-term requirements which would best be met by setting up a small home-based career group to be known as the Dependent Territories Administrative Branch.

New arrangements for supplement ing other overseas staff were proposed and the UK Government intended to put them into effect towards the end of 1973. The arrangements were de signed so that, wherever possible, they would not affect existing policies of filling posts with local officers.

Dr Carlo Crim, gynaecologist and obste trician in the American Samoa Medical Department, displays the slogan she has created for her family planning campaign.

With a birthrate twice that of America's and a much higher death rate, American Samoa needs such a campaign says the doctor. "Because of their value every Samoan knows the coconut trees must be properly spaced so that they will grow with a strength which will be reflected in the vital fruit they bear," she says.

"But, aren't the children as important as the trees?" The campaign slogan is ap pearing on window stickers, lapel pins and T-shirts, and one women's cricket team is even wearing it on their uniform.