good-will, the Chevalier de Quincy was invited by the British Government to become Judge de Paix in Seychelles. He accepted and served with distinction in that office until his death 13 years later.

From the date of its foundation until 1903, Seychelles was regarded as a dependency of Mauritius. A series of Civil Commissioners under the tutelage of Mauritius administered Seychelles from 1811 to 1888, but some degree of separation was effected in 1872 when a Board of Civil Commissioners was appointed with financial autonomy. The powers of this Board under a Chief Civil Commissioner were extended by another Order in Council of 1874. In 1888 the importance of the islands warranted a further change in the constitution, and an Order-in-Council was passed creating an Administrator with a nominated Executive and Legislative Council as from 1889. In 1897 the separation from Mauritius became more marked when the Administrator was endowed with the full powers of Governor. Six years later, by Letters Patent of 31st August 1903, separation was completed and Seychelles became a Crown Colony with a Governor and Executive and Legislative Councils.

CONSTITUTION

The constitution which came into force in October 1970 provided for a Council of Ministers (the Executive), with the Governor presiding, consisting of a Chief Minister and up to four other Ministers, together with three ex-officio members. It also provided for a Legislative Assembly consisting of a Speaker, fifteen elected members and the same three ex-officio members of the Council of Ministers.

The last General Election was held in 1974.

A Constitutional Conference was held at Marlborough House in March 1975, at which the principles of an Interim Constitution and a number of points for an Independence Constitution were agreed.

In accordance with an agreement reached at the Constitutional Conference between the two political parties, the Seychelles Democratic Party (SDP) and the Seychelles People's United Party (SPUP), the Constitution was amended by an Order in Council of 14th May 1975, to provide for the appointment of ten additional members to the existing Legislature, five nominated by each party. It also provided for a Council of Ministers consisting of twelve Ministers, eight drawn from the SDP membership of the Legislative Assembly and four from the SPUP membership, in addition to the three ex-officio members, the SDP having. at the Conference, invited the SPUP to join a Coalition Government and the SPUP having accepted. These provisions were brought into force on 1st June 1975, and the Coalition Government was formed on that date.

It was agreed at the March 1975 Constitutional Conference that the Interim Constitution, which will provide for a larger measure of internal self-government, will be introduced in September 1975. It was also agreed that a renewed Constitutional Conference would take place in January 1976, the aim of which will be to determine the outstanding provisions of an Independence Constitution for Seychelles so that subject to the approval of Parliament, Seychelles will be enabled to proceed to independence, as desired by both Seychelles political parties, not later than 30th June 1976.

SECRETARIES To GovernmenT

P. Wand-Tetley, OBE, MC (Office of the Chief Minister)

S. M. Savy, OBE (Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Marketing) (acting)
A. C. Melhuish, MBE (Ministry of Aviation, Communications and Works)
P. J. Heady, MBE (Ministry of Housing, Labour and Social Services)

HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS

JUDICIARY

Chief Justice: Sir G. L. Souyave, KB, QC
Puisne Judge: A. F. M. A. Sauzier, OBE

T

SOLOMON ISLANDS

HE Solomon Islands were so named by the Spanish navigator Alvaro de Mendaña following his discovery of the archipelago in 1568. The territory consists of a double row of mountainous islands—the South Solomonssituated between the parallels of 5° and 12° 30'S. and the meridians of 155° and 170° E., and includes the islands of Guadalcanal, Malaita, San Cristobal, New Georgia, Santa Isabel, Choiseul, Mono (or Treasury), Shortlands, Vella Lavella, Ranongga, Gizo, Rendova, Kolombangara, Russell, Florida, and numerous small islands. The total land area is approximately 11,500 square miles. The highest named mountain is Mount Makarakombou (2,447 metres) on Guadalcanal. There are no navigable rivers.

The climate is equatorial with small seasonal variations defined by the trade winds. The south-east season lasts from April to November when the minimum temperatures are recorded. The highest mean and maximum temperatures and the highest rainfall are, as a rule, recorded in the north-west season from November to April. The mean annual temperature at the capital, Honiara (Guadalcanal) is about 80°F. Annual rainfall at Honiara varies from 63 to 95 inches. Elsewhere it is nearer 120 inches.

The first attempt at a census was carried out in 1931 and resulted in an estimated total population figure of 94,066. A sample census in 1959 gave an estimated total of 124,000. The first full census of the territory was held on 1st February 1970. The total population was found to be 160,998 made up of: Melanesians 149,667; Polynesians 6,399; Micronesians 2,362; Europeans 1,280; Chinese 577; others 713. In 1974, the estimated population was 184,500.

The largest concentration of population is in the capital, Honiara, where the census gave a total of 11,191 persons, comprising 7,237 males and 3,954 females. This compared with 6,684 in 1965 and 3,548 in 1959. Elsewhere population density varies greatly, from a maximum in Luania on Ontong Java of 633 persons per square mile to a minimum of 2.72 for the 163 people on Vanikovo.

The official language is English in which language all teaching in registered schools is compulsory, but each tribe has its own language and there are numerous dialects. A form of English consisting of an English derived vocabulary based on a typically Melanesian syntax and known as Pidgin is widespread and serves as a lingua franca to a considerable degree.

There are some 86 dialects in common use.

Primary Education in 1974 was still largely in the hands of the Churches although during 1974 the Education Policy Review Committee published their report and government control is envisaged during 1975. Government gives help to scheduled schools in the form of salary subsidies, boarding and equipment grants.

In 1974 there were 323 registered Primary Schools and 6 Secondary Schools. There were 24,088 pupils in Primary Schools and 1,625 students in Secondary Schools. There is one Teacher Training College, the British Solomons Training College, and trade and vocational training is carried out at Honiara Technical Institute. There are 83 pre-service students on overseas scholarships and 113 students on overseas professional courses.

Following the report of the Education Policy Review Committee a White

Paper on Education was considered by the Legislative Assembly at the end of 1974. An amended version of the White Paper now forms the basis of future education policy in the territory.

Principal endemic diseases are malaria and tuberculosis. The main Government medical institutions are Central Hospital (171 beds) where a School of Nursing is maintained, three District Hospitals (total 242 beds), three Rural Hospitals (total 126 beds), including a Leprosarium (88 beds with 30 per cent occupancy rate). There are three hospitals (275 beds), including a Leprosarium, operated by the Churches, who also maintain several centres providing a medical service ranging from first-aid treatment to in-patient hospital care. A total of over 120 clinics are well distributed throughout the islands providing basic health care under control of central Government/Local Government Council, Churches and private companies.

Following the completion of a malaria eradication pilot project in 1964, a combined Government/WHO pre-eradication programme commenced in January 1965 and continued until the end of 1969, when a full-scale eradication campaign started. This was in accordance with a malaria eradication White Paper approved by the Legislative Council in November 1968.

In 1973, 324 new cases of tuberculosis (all forms) were notified, a reduction of some 5 per cent on 1972. These included 204 pulmonary, potentially infectious cases, a decrease of 13 per cent over the previous year.

42 new cases of leprosy were diagnosed, many as a result of widespread surveys conducted with the aid of WHO and NZLTB.

In 1974, 319 new cases of tuberculosis (all forms) were notified, a reduction of some 1 per cent on 1973. These included 185 pulmonary, potentially infectious cases, a decrease of 9 per cent over the previous year.

26 new cases of leprosy were diagnosed, again many as a result of widespread surveys conducted with the aid of WHO and NZLTB.

Poliomyelitis and whooping cough are well under control with an on-going active infant immunisation programme with new born babies and young infants which includes BCG, trivax, oral sabin, and tet. toxoid to expectant mothers. In 1973 the total labour force numbered 12,693. Principal occupations were agriculture, including fishing, 3,117; construction, 1,620; commerce, 1,358; transport and communications, 1,132, and public administration and social services, 4,178.

In 1974 it is estimated that 14,200 persons were in paid employment, including 1,047 who were not Solomon Islanders.

Forestry policy is aimed at securing maximum benefit from working the country's timber resources, so far as this is consistent with replacing the volume of timber cut by planting new forest crops. The timber working is arranged through private enterprise. So far it has been mainly for log export but there is increasing emphasis on local processing-for which long-term continuity of timber supplies is very important.

While replanting with fast-growing general purpose timber species has been in progress since 1967, careful study has been made, and is continuing, into the types of new forest crops likely to bring maximum benefit to the country in future. These might include pulpwood as well as higher quality timbers. Considerable expansion of the replanting programme is now considered desirable

and the Government is considering both the appropriate form of organisation of its forest service to undertake this task and various sources of finance— including bilateral grant aid, international financing agencies and commercial investment.

The main crop of the Solomon Islands is copra. Rice is being grown successfully on the Guadalcanal Plains. Small scale and to some extent experimental production of cocoa, sorghum and spices is carried out. The cattle population in 1973 was 17,235. After copra the main product is timber and there is a small local production of consumer goods such as biscuits and mineral waters. Other industries include the manufacture of plug, cake and twist tobacco, tyre retreading, the export of bêches-de-mer and rattan furniture production. A joint venture agreement was signed between the Taiyo Fishing Co. and the Government in November 1972.

Note: fish excludes the export in 1974 of 900 tons of canned fish valued at A $767,000.

Copra is marketed through the Solomon Islands Copra Board and timber by the companies holding licences. Small quantities of cocoa, marine shall, scrap metal, crocodile skins and gold are also exported. The total value of exports in 1973 was A $9,553,000.

The value of imports was A$11,256,000

In 1974 the favourable trade balance was A $1,317,000.

Three banks are operating in the Solomon Islands-the Commonwealth Banking Corporation of Australia, the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group and the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.

There are three main ports: Honiara, the principal port, Gizo and Yandina. Other ports are used exclusively for the export of copra and timber and there are numerous landing-places throughout the islands which are used by local vessels. Honiara has a deep water berth 235 feet long with a minimum depth of 28 feet alongside, capable of taking vessels up to 650 feet in length. In 1974, 122 overseas vessels discharged or loaded at the port. Yandina has a steel and concrete wharf with 176 feet of face and a minimum depth of 20 feet alongside. Gizo has a jetty with a depth alongside of 9 feet. Sheltered anchorage is available there in 16 fathoms.

Inter-island sea transport is provided by private and Government vessels and at the end of 1974 a total of 134 vessels with a gross tonnage of 3,443 were under survey, together with 10 Taiyo ships totalling 570 gross tons.