Controlling rats and growing more food on Tingwon Island, New Ireland Province

Abstract

Early in March 1980, the councillor for Tingwon island asked the Provincial Government for help in controlling a large increase in the number of rats on the island. These rats were eating food crops and damaging coconuts and it was claimed that food supplies were getting too low. Therefore an emergency supply of money was requested to buy rice, as a short term solution. The action taken by D.P.I. officers and the civil defence representatives in Kavieng was widely reported in a rather sensational way. This article is an account of what was done.