SOUTH PACIFIC

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22657, 7 June 1948, Page 2

SOUTH PACIFIC

COMMISSION’S WORK

PROJECTS ANNOUNCED

SYDNEY. May 25. The South Pacific Commission, which ended its first, session in Sydney at the week-end after sitting for 10 days in Canberra, announced that it will take immediate steps to increase food production and raise nutritional standards in the South Pacific Islands.

The commission's report said it had established an effective adminstrative foundation to promote the welfare and advancement of the 8.000.000 island peoples. Other projects to which it will give immediate attention are:— Speeded copra output by use ofj more and better machinery: more ships. to encourage output and relieve good:shortages: training of islanders in tech nical skills: modern agricultural prae- j tice: fisheries research and improve ment, of present inadequate supplies: improved health of mothers and babies: find stimulation of education by radio and films. Direction of Research

The report added that the commission would seek officers with the best scientific and technical knowledge _to direct the Commission’s South Pacific Research Council. It would also appoint a secretary-general, a deputy secretary-general, and a denuty chairman of the Research Council. Salaries would range from £IOOO sterling to £2OOO sterling a year. Six Governments —Britain, the United States, Australia, Now Zealand, France, and the Netherlands—would share the costs, and for this a working fund of £40,000 had been established. Applications for the positions should be made to the member Governments.

The report stated that the perman ent headquarters of the commission would be at either Noumea or Suva. A committee would visit these places to make the choice. The commission will hold its next session in Sydney on October 25. This will be open to the public.