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capture, rescuing allied airmen shot down behind enemy lines and helping them when the American and British forces landed.

During the war a political movement, known as Marching Rule, started in Malaita, and for over eight years its leaders endeavoured to dominate native affairs in Malaita while their influence spread to other parts of the Protectorate. At the outset the movement preached a policy of improved agriculture, concentration into large villages and non-co-operation with Government and missionary societies. These teachings were coupled with a policy of fostering rumours of an earthly paradise to come, rumours which were earnestly believed and which formed part of the psychological background of the movement.

The year 1952, however, saw a decided lessening of the political tension which had handicapped development and administration during the post-war years. Strenuous efforts to bring about a rapprochement between the Government and the leaders of Marching Rule on Malaita culminated in the formation of a properly organised Council for the whole of Malaita for the first time. The Malaita people, through their representatives on this Council, like the people of other islands, now have a considerable amount of responsibility for the management of their own local affairs. Similar local government councils were established in the years immediately following the war, and the number was gradually increased until in 1966 the whole Protectorate except Tikopia and Anuta was covered by these councils, all the members of which are elected by universal adult suffrage. By the end of 1966 a total of twenty-one councils had been established under the Local Government Ordinance, which was enacted in 1963.

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Until 1960 the High Commissioner was assisted by an Advisory Council. In 1960 a Constitution was introduced which provided for the establishment of a Local Council and an Executive Council, the members of which were appointed by the High Commissioner.

A revised Constitution was introduced in 1964 providing that the Legislative Council should consist of 3 ex-officio members, 8 official members, 8 elected members and 2 nominated members. 7 of the elected members were elected through electoral colleges composed of elected members of the Local Councils in each constituency; in Honiara, election was direct.

A further revision of the Constitution was provided for by the British Solomon Islands Order, 1967. Elections under the new Constitution were held in 1967. The Legislative Council consists of 3 ex-officio members, 12 public service members, and 14 elected members. Direct elections were held in all but one constituency where, owing to the difficulty of communications, election was by an electoral college. Membership of the Executive Council, which is advisory to the High Commissioner, is drawn from the membership of the Legislative Council, and consists of 3 ex-officio members and not more than 5 other members, not more than one of whom shall be a public service member. At present membership consists of 3 ex-officio members, one public service member and 4 elected members. Interim proposals for further constitutional development were published at the end of 1968 based on a departure from the Westminster model and the formation of a single Council supported by executive committees. The Council would have a majority of elected members. In June 1969, the Legislative Council accepted and approved the Report of a Special Select

Committee appointed to examine these proposals, and formally requested the High Commissioner to seek appropriate amendments to the Constitution.

LAND POLICY

Land policy is concerned with land under public ownership, land owned in accordance with local customary law, and land privately owned in freehold or leasehold.

Public land is administered to ensure a balanced development in town areas and its best economic usage in the rural areas. Large areas of the Guadalcanal Plains have been leased for agricultural development by overseas capital investment. Forest policy is aimed at both the establishment of a permanent forest estate and the economic development of forest resources by private enterprise and was the subject of examination by a Select Committee of the Legislative Council during 1968, culminating in the preparation and approval of a White Paper on Forest Policy.

Land held under customary tenure, which comprises by far the greatest part, may be subject to control of user where valuable natural assets need protection and there is a statutory bar to the acquisition of land so owned other than by the Government or by Solomon Islanders. Registration of land previously held under customary tenure with consequent tenure conversion has begun and will gradually extend through areas subject to economic development where the owners wish it.

All mineral rights in the islands are reserved to the Government. Prospecting and mining are subject to control under modern mining legislation which was revised in 1968. Land privately owned by non-Solomon Islanders is also being brought on to the Land Register under transitional provisions in the land legislation which contain an element of compulsion. Use of such land is subject to the same controls for the protection of valuable natural assets as land under customary ownership.

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(For Secretariat see under Western Pacific High Commission) Attorney-General: D. R. Davis

Director of Agriculture: F. M. Spencer
Director of Education: D. H. Hibbert, CBE
Superintendent of Marine: Captain G.
Douglas

Director of Medical Services: Dr J. D.
Macgregor

Director of Public Works: W. A. Wood
Solicitor-General: G. P. Nazareth
Establishment Secretary: (vacant)

Deputy Financial Secretary: D. M. Freegard
Accountant-General: P. M. Smith, OBE
Conservator of Forests: K. W. Trenaman,
OBE

READING LIST

Director of Geological Surveys: Dr R. B.
Thompson

Commissioner of Lands and Surveys: J. B.
Twomey, OBE

Principal Auditor: F. Cherry, EM

Superintendent of Civil Aviation: E. E. E.
Nielsen

Registrar of Co-operatives: C. N. Colman
Comptroller of Customs and Excise: R.
Burrow-Wilkes

Commissioner of Labour: B. C. Wilmot
Chief of Police: B. R. P. Edwards, MBE

Comptroller of Posts and Telecommunica-
tions: C. D. Wright

FIRTH, Raymond. Social Change in Tikopia. Allen & Unwin, 1959.
Fox, C. E. Lord of the Southern Isles. London, Mowbray, 1958.

HORTON, D. C. The Happy Isles-a Dairy of the Solomons. London,
Heinemann, 1965.

LAMBER, S. M. A Doctor in Paradise. London, Dent, 1941.

MORRELL, W. P. Britain in the Pacific Islands. Oxford, 1960.

SCARR, Deryck. Fragments of Empire: A History of the Western Pacific High Commission 1877-1914. Australian National University Press, Canberra, and C. Hurst and Co., London, 1967.

SHARP, A. The Discovery of the Pacific Islands. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1960.

STRUBEN, R. Coral and Colour of Gold. London, Faber, 1961.

WHITMORE, T. C. Guide to the Forests of the British Solomon Islands. Oxford University Press, 1966.

THE ANGLO-FRENCH CONDOMINIUM OF

THE NEW HEBRIDES

The New Hebrides lie in the south-west Pacific between 13° and 21° S. and 166° and 171° E., forming an irregular chain of islands with a total land area of about 5,700 square miles. They were named the New Hebrides in 1774 by Captain Cook. There are in the group some 65 inhabited islands and islets, the

larger of which are Espiritu Santo, Malekula, Efate, Ambrym, Tanna, Erromango, Epi, Aoba, Pentecost and Maewo.

The capital of the group is Vila with an urban population of 3,074 and a peri-urban population of 5,034. A second town known as Santo or Luganville, with an urban population of 2,556 and a peri-urban population of 2,682, is situated on the island of Espiritu Santo.

The islands are of coral and volcanic origin with active volcanoes on Tanna, Lopevi and Ambrym. They are almost without exception mountainous, Santo Peak and Tabwemesana on Santo rising to over 6,000 feet. The group is generally well watered. The climate is oceanic tropical and moderated by the south-east trade winds which blow between the months of May and October. During the remainder of the year winds are variable and hurricanes may occur. High humidity occasionally leads to enervating conditions. Temperatures at Vila vary between 16°C (60°F) and 33°C (92 ̊F) and average rainfall ranges from about 45 inches in the south to 250 inches in the north, with a mean figure of 81 inches for Vila.

A general census was carried out in 1967. The total population was 77,988, made up as follows: New Hebrideans 72,243; Other Melanesians 426; Polynesians and Micronesians 1,270; Europeans 1,773; Part-European 1,151; Vietnamese 397; Chinese 252; Others 476. Amongst the non-New Hebridean population there were 3,840 French citizens and 1,631 British subjects.

Many languages and dialects are spoken; most belong to the Melanesian family and are related to those of Fiji and New Caledonia. Pidgin English is the lingua franca. English and French are the official languages.

The Anglican, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic Churches began missionary work in the New Hebrides in the 19th century. In this century other religious bodies, including the Seventh Day Adventists have become active in various parts of the Group. At present the Presbyterian Church of the New Hebrides has the largest number of adherents with the Anglican and Catholic Churches coming next. All the religious denominations provide educational facilities in co-operation with Government and several of them have made and continue to make important contributions to health services.

Malaria is the most serious endemic disease, and hookworm infections and anaemia are common causes of debility. With WHO assistance the Joint Administration is at present conducting a campaign to control tuberculosis by (a) case finding and (b) B.C.G. vaccination. By the end of 1967 all the population had been vaccinated at least once. Operations are now being extended into maternal and child health and vaccinations against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus. The French Government maintains hospitals at Vila and Santo and medical centres at Malekula and Tanna staffed by French army doctors. The British Government maintains rural clinics and dispensaries in the outer islands staffed by Medical Officers (Class III), Medical Assistants, Dressers and Nurses. It also subsidises British Mission Hospitals at Aoba, Vila and Epi, and there is a new British Hospital at Tanna with a British National Service Medical Officer as Superintendent. The Joint Administration Medical Subsidy is shared between the French and British Medical Services. There is also a Condominium Medical Service, mainly concerned with public health and preventive medicine.

Most of the population is employed on plantations and in trading or subsistence agriculture. The most important cash crops are copra, cocoa, and coffee.

T

The principal subsistence crops are yam, taro, manioc, sweet potato and breadfruit. Large numbers of cattle are kept on the plantations and efforts are being made to develop an export trade in meat (frozen and tinned) and to expand the local meat industry. Small amounts of timber are felled and milled for local use and trial shipments have been exported. At Santo the South Pacific Fishing Company, a British registered concern, operates a plant where tuna and bonito are frozen and prepared for export to the United States, Japan, Europe and elsewhere.

Interest is being shown in the development of a tourist industry.

The following are the principal domestic exports by quantity and value:

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There are 76 co-operative societies, membership 4,000 adults, capital investment £112,200 and a turnover of £500,000 in 1968.

The principal ports of the New Hebrides are Vila and Santo.

The principal airports are Bauer Field (Efate) and Luganville (Santo). Each is situated about three miles from the nearest town (Vila and Santo respectively) and each is 6,000 feet in length. There are 12 smaller airfields on Malekula, Aoba, Pentecost, Epi, Tongoa, Efate, Erromango, Tanna, Futuna and Aneityum. The New Hebrides possess about 340 miles of roads, 200 of these being seasonal earth motor tracks.

There are two airlines, New Airways Hebrides Ltd. and Hébridair. They have recently pooled their operations to form Air Melanesia, which operates both regular and charter services throughout the Group. External air services are provided by Fiji Airways which operates a service twice a week between Suva, Nandi, Vila, Santo, Honiara and return to Fiji, and by the French company, Union de Transports Aériens, which provides air communications to and from New Caledonia. Connections can be made with international flights at Nandi and Tontouta (New Caledonia).

Regular shipping services to and from New Caledonia, France and Australia are maintained by Messageries Maritimes. One of its vessels, the Polynésie, maintains a regular schedule between Australia, New Caledonia and the New Hebrides, arriving in the territory every three weeks. The Burns Philp vessel Tulagi provides a link between Sydney, Norfolk Island, the New Hebrides and the Solomon Islands every five weeks. Small vessels give a frequent but nonscheduled inter-island service.

In 1966 a broadcasting service known as Radio Vila was established to serve the whole of the Group.

Current development projects, financed from the local development plan, jointly by Colonial Development and Welfare funds and its French counterpart F.I.D.E.S., or entirely from C.D. & W. funds, include agricultural development and training, improvement of communications (roads, airports, air and marine navigational aids, radio, deep-water wharf at Vila), provision of launches and ships for administrative touring, geological survey and tellurometer survey.

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