(Ponape District)
Tab A
PONAPE
(e)
(Cont'd)
Economic development.
Copra is the major product of Ponape Island and will
increase in magnitude when drying sheds are completed at
Metalanim Plantation, permitting production to commence from
its 2500 acres.»
Copra purchases from native producers on
Ponape Island in the last calendar quarter 1948 amounted to
$46,822.99. Handicraft is the next native enterprise in
size, with specialties in mats, egg-baskets, and handbags.
Handicraft purchases from natives during the quarter preced-
ing this inspection totalled $3,861.90.
for the same period totalled $255.83.
Charcoal production
Trochus shell purchases
amounted to $15,879 during the 1948 season.
Production of
aried fish and fresh fruits are minor native enterprises at
the present time.
Ponape Island is self-sufficient in food, having cocomuts, taro, breadfruit, pandanus, yams, a wide variety of
fruits, fish, chickens, pigs and some cattle. Development of
the CivAd Agriculture Experiment Station will add to the variety of foods available. Shipment of breeded cattle to Ponape Island is currently under study.
The CivAd sawmill has continued operations, selling on an
ape’:
average of 25,000 board feet per quarter at $.03 per board
foot to natives for rehabilitation and new construction.
There is one I-T.C. branch wholesale store on Ponape
Island, and a growing number of native-ovmed wholesale and
The I.T.C. store is efficiently managed and
REPRODUCED FROM HOLDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
torsge
(f)
Final settlements of land claims are being processed.
Rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation on Ponape Island has been accomplished,
except for work on war-damaged churches which is nearing completion.
(g)
Services.
(1)
Transportation.
Transportation for the natives on Ponape Island is satisfactory except for the need of additional water transportation
to service Metalanim Plantation. The possibility of obtaining
additional hulls from Navy World War II motor launch stocks
- 33 -
lf.
ay
retail businessese
was well-stocked at the time of inspection except for copra
bags and fishing tacklee At present there appears to be little
possibility of local trading companies taking over I.T.C. ex=
port and import functions, the lack of commercial shipping as
well as insufficient local capital being the determining fac-
Paaed
2
apa