PACIFIC STUDIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 56, 15 December 1945, Page 3

PACIFIC STUDIES

SCHOOL IN AUSTRALIA (Rec. 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The establishment in Australia of a school of Pacific studies was advocated by the Vice-Chancellor of Sydney University (Sir Robert Wallace), when the International Veterinary Conference called by UNRRA opened here yesterday. The conference is discussing the setting up of a clearing house for information on animal epidemics and to facilitate traffic in live-stock for relief and rehabilitation in the Far East. The delegates are: Australia, R. N. Wardlej China, Dr. C. C. Chen; India, Dr. F. C. Minett; Netherlands East Indies, A. Luutjes; New Zealand, Mr D. A. Gill; Philippines, Dr. Petro Sales and Dr.. Vincendei Fereols; United States, Dr. H. E. Fergeson; Admiral Mountbatten’s Command, Lieut.-Colonel J. B. Girling; General MacArthur’s Command, Colonel Seymour.

Mr E. J. Fawcett (New Zealand Di-rector-General of Agriculture), Dr. I. Clunies Ross (Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Sydney University), and Colonel Max Henry (Chief of the Division of Animal Husbandry in the New South Wales Department of Agriculture, attended as consultants.

Major W. Granger (acting-chief agricultural officer in UNRRA’s South Pacific Area Office) is an executive member of the conference. Mr G. C. Remington acting-director of UNRRA’s South-west Pacific Area Office, was elected chairman.

In his opening address, Mr Remington said that war-devastated countries lost half or more of their live-stock, and other countries suffered serious losses from animal diseases. The rebuilding of flocks and herds was a major aim in rehabilitation, and in that task veterinarians would play a vitally-important part.