30 
a considerable term of years. This recommendation would involve expenditure quite beyond the 
resources of the Colonial Research Committee, but it is hoped that it may be found possible to 
provide for the employment of at least one vessel in this work, by means of funds obtained from 
export duties on whale oil, which have already been increased for the purpose. Enquiries are now 
being- made as to the present cost of building the pi\>posed vessels. No definite decision has yet been 
reached in the matter. 
The possibilities of the waters between the Falkland Islands and the mainland as a fishery area 
are referred to in the body of the report. 
FIJI. 
I he Governor forwarded a full memorandum by Mr. C. H. Knowles, Superintendent of 
Agriculture. 
Mr. Knowles indicated the principal directions in which research was actually proceeding. There 
is a Government Entomologist for the study of insect pests in plants. There is an Agricultural 
Chemist, who is engaged inter alia in the systematic study of the soils of the Island The principal 
other investigations are into improvements in the methods of drying copra and the effects of the 
growth of moulds on copra. The Government employed a mining adviser in 1910-1911. 
As regards suggestions for new work, or the extension of work already in progress, Mr. Knowles 
reported, under the head of mechanical power, that there were falls in Fiji of large volumes of water 
descending considerable distances and that their possible use for power purposes merited investiga¬ 
tion. It was, perhaps, unfortunate that no large falls existed in close proximity to places where 
power was required, but it was possible that industries might be established in the neiglibourhood of 
such sources of power. Further, electric current was capable of being conveyed long distances with 
little loss, and, having regard to the high rainfall of the wet zones, the possibility should not be over¬ 
looked that a reserve of power might be created by constructing a dam across the mouth of an 
elevated valley having a sufficient catchment area. Localities specially worthy of investigation were 
the Nuku falls in the Waimanu district, some falls on land between Natewa and Buca Bays, and the 
lake on the high mountain of Taviuni. 
Under the head of general agriculture Mr. Knowles drew attention to the importance of com¬ 
piling proper statistics relative to each agricultural industry, which would enable an accurate estimate 
to be made of progress year by year. 
As regards the sugar cane industry, Mr. Knowles remarked that this was the main industry of 
the Colony, and was entirely in the hands of the Sugar Refining Company, which maintained in the 
Colony and in Australia a scientific staff engaged in investigating the many problems presented by 
sugar growing and manufacture. 
As regards the coconut industry, Mr. Knowles wrote as follows :• — 
• “ The chief island of the group, Vitilevu, is not a place where coconuts give satisfactory crops, 
owing to the destructive agency of the small leaf-moth Levuana irideseens , whose larvse eat away 
the undersides of coconut leaves and prevent the palm from bearing proper crops. The investigation 
of remedies for combating this pest, capable of application under field conditions, is one of great 
importance, not only in regard to the island of Vitilevu, but for the coconut districts generally, which 
would, it is assumed, be reduced to the low level of Vitilevu as copra-producing districts should the 
moth become established in them. Large areas of excellent coconut land exist in Vitilevu which are 
not at present used for other purposes, and if the ravages of the moth were eliminated the large num¬ 
bers ah coconut palms now growing on them would provide a considerable amount of copra immediately, 
besides forming the nuclei of considerable coconut plantations. Investigations as to the best methods 
of cultivating the palms, the proper selection of seed, the b.est planting distance to use, the best 
treatment for the soil previous to planting, the determination as to whether the characters of the 
different varieties of the coconut are constant, etc., are by all means to be recommended.” 
Mr. Knowles also drew attention to the need of experiment in methods of drying copra. Sun 
drying has proved uncertain and hot air dryers are now being tried. 
As regards the banana industry, Mr. Knowles considered that enquiry was needed as regards 
methods of improving crops, cheapening production, eliminating the losses caused by the banana borer 
Cosmopolites sordid a and the “Cabbage disease,” improvements in packing, and devising some 
satisfactory means of utilising surplus and waste bananas, such as by the manufacture of banana 
flour or other products. 
The losses caused by the two diseases mentioned amount to a considerable sum in the course of 
a year. In connection with the depredations of the borer, the Government Entomologist paid a special 
visit to Java and, as a result, introduced into Fiji a natural enemy, Plasms javanus. Further 
consignments of this insect have been received more recently. So far no effects are noticeable which 
can be ascribed to the work of this insect, and further investigation into the possible control of the 
borer is desirable. - 
The rubber industry is stated to present few problems beyond one, which affects all Fijian indus¬ 
tries, namely, shortage of labour 
The rice industry is in the hands of small settlers, who are slow to take advantage of improved 
methods of dealing with their crops in the fields, and who, as a rule, cultivate such small patches and 
regard their own labour as of such little value that suggestions for the improvement of their methods 
of cultivation are of little use. There is no doubt that, if modern methods of cultivation were intro¬ 
duced, the industry is capable of extension even to the scale necessary to attract the attention of 
European planters. The use of seed drills for planting, strippers or reapers and binders and threshing 
machines for harvesting the grain, thus eliminating most of the. expensive handwork, offers possibilities 
which deserve careful investigation. 
The introduction of better varieties of seed is a matter which needs attention, but trials on an 
enlarged scale would be desirable if facilities existed for carrying them out. 
Relative to cotton, during the operations at Lautoka Experimental Station sea island cotton was 
found to thrive very well under the conditions in the dry zone. Its cultivation, however, has not 
been taken up either bv the small settler, to whom it would anpear to be. well adapted, or by the 
larger planters. The chief difficulty in the case of the latter is the fact that cotton cultivation does 
