The Press TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1957. South Pacific Responsibilities

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28270, 7 May 1957, Page 13

The Press TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1957. South Pacific Responsibilities

The six nations responsible for nearly all the island groups of the South Pacific will be illadvised if they cut the activities of the South Pacific Commission, whose work is now being “ reviewed ” at a conference in Canberra of the member governments—Britain, the United States. Australia, France, the Netherlands and New Zealand. Some members are reported to be demanding economies, others are well satisfied with the commission’s work (New Zealand is one), and the United States would like i o see more positive achievements. The commission operates on a budget of £200,000, and any drastic economies could well prove disastrous to its work. The partnership of the six nations in the commission since its formation in 1947 has been an unspectacular but remarkable and successful experiment in international co-operation in the area, which covers 18 million square miles of islands and ocean from New Guinea across to Pitcairn and 'rom the Marianas in the north down to Norfolk island. Each government, of course, does much directly for the territories under its control, the purpose of the commission being the provision of an effective research and techmeal advisory service, where partnership is of advantage, to improve the health and to promote the economic and social welfare of the three million people of the region. It has undertaken a large series of investigations in applied research and the results have been of considerable benefit. For example, the diet of many islanders was found to be deficient in protein. To correct this the commission set to work to show them how to breed fish; they now have sufficient. Another example is its work in attempting to counter the depredations of the rhinoceros beetle, which caused grave concern in an area whose

economy is founded largely on the cc«?onut. Commission scientists ha ve spent three years on this pa oject. Though no quick success is yet in sight, this problem, if it had been tackled alone, by each country, could well have cost six times as muchi. Thf! most common criticism of j the e ommission is that it has tende d to become unwieldy and bureaucratic. Actually it shows evers ’ sign of attempting to keep* its costs to a minimum. The commission now meets only" once a year and it convener the South Pacific Conf/arence, which gives the native peoples a chance to express their views on common problems and the way in which the commission is handling there i, only once every thiee yea rs. The commission has an executive arm headed by a secretary-general in Noumea andl an office in Sydney, but witSi a total staff of only 50 it care scarcely be accused of “ et npire-building _ Dn spite of reported French am 1 British concern at the rising co? t of the commission, one fa< tor may weigh heavily against any economies proposed at; the Canberra talks. Both Russia and China, working sometimes through the Asian Powers, have long been attemptin g to extend Communist influence in the Pacific. A resolution passed in ‘he United illations and backed solidly by tihe Asian Powers means that o iations controlling non-self- | ’overning territories may be S asked by the General Assembly fco account for their stewardship. IPhe six nations in the comamission could hear their control iof the Pacific territories assailed I with the familiar charges of •“ exploitation ” and “ colonial- *“ ism If the native peoples of I the South Pacific being ; helped to reach their full status |in the modern world (and that 1 'is the commission’s objective), ■ tiie Communist charg ’s will fall on deaf ears.