Tonga’S Trade

Effects of the 1930 Slump

A review of the trade conditions of Tonga for the year 1930 is contain ed in the annual report of the Presi dent of the Tonga Chamber of Com merce (Mr. J. H. Young). We are in debted for a copy to the secretary (Mr L. Davidson).

The report says that a request was made to the Government of Tonga with the object of amending the law in regard to native debts, but the Gov ernment met the matter only partially.

Trade Figures.

Both imports and exports again show a marked decline. Figures for the past seven years have been:

The total exports of copra for the year 1930 amounted to 14,134 tons, valued at £169,610 f.o.b., being 2,726 tons and £83,301 in value less than the previous year, and accounting for the further re striction of trade, until it may be de scribed as practically stagnant.

Copra exports for the past seven years have been.

This represents a fall in value over the period of 43 per cent. Prospects for the 1931 crop are bad, owing to a prolonged drought.

Public Expenditure.

The figures of Government expendi ture. as shown in the Estimates passed by the Legislative Assembly for the past seven years, are as follows:

This is an increase over the period of 25 per cent.

These figures should be compared with the value of copra exported, from which it will be seen that, as the in come of the Kingdom contracts, the ex penditure by the Government of Tonga expands.

To relieve the present penurious con dition of the Tongans, and to give some stimulation to trade, it is ap parent that, either (1) the national income (i.e., the wealth produced) must be materially increased or (2) the Government expenditure must be ma terially reduced. The cultivation of the banana for export is in a merely embryonic stage, and even in the event of sufficient quantities being pro duced to bring in any appreciable pro fit, the question of a market remains speculative and problematical.

Shipping.

The following are the figures for the past seven years:

Imports

Exports

Total

1924 .. .. £232,600 £306.658 £539,258 1925 .. .. 258,322 290,115 548,437 1926 . . . . 227.882 263,198 491,080 1927 . . . . 157,783 235,391 393,174 1928 .. .. 211.907 287,668 499,575 1929 .. 198,078 259.090 457,168 1930 .. .. 148,306 183,204 331,510

Tons

Value

1924 .. .. £297,487 1925 . . . . 280.386 1926 . . . , 255,156 1927 . . .. 225.044 1928 . . . . 282,083 1929 . . . . 252,911 1930 . . . . . . . . 14,134 169,610

Year

Amount

1924-5 . . . . .. .. £67,665 1925-6 . . . . .. .. 71,938 1926-7 . . . . 1927-8 . . . . 1928-9 . . . . .. . . 81.382 1929-30 . . . . .. .. 81,951 1930-31 . . . . . . . . 84,555

Inward

Number Of

Vessels

Tonnage

1924 . . . . . . . . 32 . . . . 87,250 1925 .. .. . 77,704 1926 .. . . . 81,424 1927 ,. . . . . . . 29 .. . . 62.605 1928 .. . . . 79,158 1929 .. ,. . . . . 37 .. . . 83,039 1930 .. ,. . 83,245

Outward

1924 .. .. . 83.762 1925 .. .. . . .. 37 . . . 74.067 1926 .. .. 81.271 1927 .. .. 58,252 1928 . . . . . . .. 32 . . . 79.092 1929 .. .. 81,243 1930 ., ,. . 79,778