N.Z. Help At Plantation

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30979, 8 February 1966, Page 1

N.Z. Help At Plantation

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 7. A 100-acre banana plantation being established by “Operation 21” student volunteers at Lalu Mana (Samoa) will be one of the first areas to produce fruit in the hurricane-damaged islands in about 10 months.

The leader of the 15member work team and president of the New Zealand University Students’ Association, Mr A. Taylor, who has returned to Wellington, said all other banana plantations were wined out in the hurricane. as were crops of breadfruit. Taro and coconut crops suffered serious damage. Mr Taylor said there would be a very serious food shortage in Samoa until fruit became available from the plantations.

‘The islanders have enough supplies to last them about ’bene weeks After that thev v' i hav e no income and no re'O'lar source of food. i b has been estimated at mast f_ million wiP be needed keeP r the 120 000 popula- „ "over the next few months.” h e said. ,i, Mr u Ta y lor said that during volumw^assuteZi CamP — d S nts <iV until 730 pm t ha t S rt n ‘ on relief and r“d hL - ay work.” he said. 'sL. T!? 9 team assisted at where manv of the thin 0Sn ’ tal I bad collapsed and rooVhV been lost. The rain

ing into the wards all Sunday.” He said some of the New Zealanders helped to evacuate mothers and babies from the maternity wards “Precariously leaning trees which endangered the remaining hospital buildings and the patients were cut down and taken away by team members.” he said. “With the assistance of two Public Service vehicles we managed to clear the 2 0-m’, le road between Apia and the airport.