XI - The South Pacific Commission

Summary

Since the Second World War important changes have taken place in the region of the South Pacific. One former territory, Western Samoa, has attained independent nationhood and in several others political development and future status have become subjects of lively interest among the indigenous peoples as well as populations of external origin. More and more the international technical organisations are interesting themselves in the current problems and future prospects of the Pacific Islands. There has been a rapid and extensive development of air communications, both inter-continental through the region and inter-island within it. With these have come more business and tourism and the former characteristic isolation of South Pacific territories has been greatly modified. Sea communications and telecommunications have also developed. Literacy has spread. The cinema has brought to almost all island peoples notions of metropolitan ways of life and of the character, manners and interests of the larger populations of the world and these in turn have suggested comparisons, favourable and otherwise, with their own ways of living. Television has made its appearance in three territories.