First South Pacific Conference

Sir Brian Freeston, Governor of Fiji, was chairman of the first South Pacific Conference which met at Nasinu, Fiji, April 25 to May 5, 1950. The proposed agenda items had been assigned to the member governments for the preparation of introductory papers to serve as discussion guides; Australia reported on mosquito control and die improvement and diversification of food and export crops; the United States on village health; New Zealand on the village school; Netherlands on vocational training; the United Kingdom on cooperative societies; and France on fisheries methods. The conference adopted recommendations in each of these fields as well as exchanging ideas and information on administrative matters. Delegates attended the Conference from Papua, New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia and dependencies, French Oceania, the Netherlands, New Guinea, Western Samoa, Cook Islands including Niue, Fiji, British Solomon Islands, Gilbert Islands, Ellice Islands, American Samoa, New Hebrides, and Tonga.