South Pacific Commission

Abstract

From October 22 to 31, 1949, the fourth session of the South Pacific Commission met at its headquarters in Noumea, New Caledonia with representatives of the six participating governments present. Progress on the 30 research projects the Commission had undertaken in May 1949 was reviewed; the projects related o t the health and economic and social development of the 2,500,000 people of the south Pacific region. The project regarding exchange of epidemiological information between the fifteen non-self-governing territories of the area had been completed and was to begin operation during November 1949. Encouraging progress was noted in other projects, including: investigation of infant food; a filari-asis survey; introduction of economically valuable plants in Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua and Netherlands New Guinea; the problem of illiteracy; establishment of centralized technical training institutions and use of visual aids in education; a pilot survey of methods of land usage; and a scheme of community development under trained native leadership. The Commission, recognizing the importance of disseminating information throughout the territories, decided to issue a quarterly bulletin reporting primarily upon progress made in the implementation of the Commission's work program.