The Press TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1966. An Urgent Task In The South Pacific

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31085, 14 June 1966, Page 16

The Press TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1966. An Urgent Task In The South Pacific

Britain and New Zealand initiated the Higher Education Mission to the South Pacific which, with assistance from Australia, has produced a report recommending a course of action. The proposals, summarised on this page, are for founding a University of the South Pacific at Lauthala Bay, Fiji. The report goes into much useful detail, ranging from the nature of the curriculum to the services on the proposed site. The mission has left no doubt about one aspect of the proposal: its urgency, A great deal depends on the vigour with which the Fijian Government adopts the recommendations; and this, in turn, will depend on the assistance forthcoming from New Zealand, Australia, and Britain. In money this should not be too formidable. The real effort will be measured in terms of administrative action and the provision of staff. Unlike many examples of overseas aid, this is not a “ rescue opera- “ tion Indeed, the education needs of the South Pacific region are not yet dramatically obvious. But because the needs have been foreseen and because the means of meeting them have been prescribed, there is no excuse for delay or apathy. A few years ago the university was judged to be premature. The time for it is now ripe; and if even the nucleus of a university is to be established by 1968, as recommended by the mission, or by 1969, which may be a more realistic date, swift action is imperative. The Governments concerned will wish to compare their views on the report and to define an agreed line of action. The New Zealand Government, for example, will have to decide whether to accept the mission’s recommendation that the Royal New Zealand Air Force should abandon the Lauthala Bay base and establish a residue of service installations elsewhere when its change to land-based aircraft is complete. The mission did its intricate job with apparent thoroughness in about six months. The various Governments, including the island administrations which will have to consider bursary and other financial plans, should tackle the report with equal vigour.