WELFARE SCHEME

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26793, 9 June 1948, Page 6

WELFARE SCHEME

PEOPLES OF PACIFIC ISLANDS REGIONAL CO-OPERATION PROMPT COMMENCEMENT P.A. WELLINGTON, June 8. Decisions of vital interest to 3,000,000 Island peoples were made by the South Pacific Commission at its first session in Sydney last month, says a statement issued to-night by the Department of External Affairs. An effective administrative and organisational foundation had been established for the work of the commission, the objective of which was the welfare and advancement of the Island peoples of the South Pacific. First Objectives France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand and Australia had now put into action undertakings concluded in the Canberra Agreement last year, stated the department. Immediate active attention is to be given to: Increased food production to raise nutrition standards and exports; the copra output to be speeded up by the use of more labour and machinery; fisheries research and improvement of the present inadequate supplies; more ships to encourage output and relieve shortages of goods; improving the health of mothers and babies; _ training the islanders in technical skills; the stimulation of education by radio and film strips and the spreading of modern agricultural practice. The department stated that never before south of the equator had so many countries combined in such a wide common plan of regional cooperation.' The long-term project of the cominission was to bring the Pacific Island peoples together in meetings, whereby, rubbing shoulders with each other, they might widen their horizon, discuss common problems and, as the people most concerned, advise the commission of the directions in which it should go. Action had already been begun by the appointment of an acting secretarygeneral, and machinery had been set in motion to obtain people with the best scientific and technical knowledge to direct the South Pacific Rerearch Council. Public Discussions The proceedings of the first session were held privately, but it is the commission’s intention that normally meetings at which the economic and social welfare of islanders was under consideration should be open to the public The permanent headquarters of the commission will be either at Noumea of Suva, and the committee will soon visit these places to decide which. A Working Committee which has been appointed will carry on between the sessions of the commission. Among its tasks will be the selection of me secretary-general, a deputy secretarygeneral,. a deputy chairman of the Research Council, and full-time research workers. The commission has decided to ask the member Governments to call for applications for the three principal offices and submit to the acting secretary-general in Sydney the name? of those persons whom they wish to nominate by July 20, 1948. The salaries of these officers are:— Secretary-general, £2OOO sterling; deputy secretary-general, '£lsoo sterling; deputy chairman of the Research Council, £I9OO sterling; all free of local taxation. The conditions of appointment, such as 48 days’ leave per annum, travelling and rent allowances, and the necessary qualifiactions, are obtainable on application to the Department of External Affairs. As to the full-time members of the Research Council, a similar procedure is to be followed by the member Governments. The salaries of these officers will range from £IOOO to £I6OO sterling, free of local taxation. ,

The six Governments are sharing all the costs. A working fund of £40,000 has been established. The commission’s next session' will be held in Sydney on October 25.