Interesting Comparison Emphasises Economic Difficulties.
p. 40 · Read in the full issue
Present And Pre-War Expenditure In Samoa
From Our Own Correspondent.
APIA, March 20.
IT is interesting to compare present and pre-war Government expendi ture, as related to the productivity of Samoa, represented by export values.
In 1912 the value of exports from Samoa amounted to £250,000, compared with £180,000 in 1931. Government ex penditure in 1912 amounted to less than £60,000, or related to export values not quite 25 per cent, of the latter.
No figures are known regarding Gov ernment expenditure in 1931-32. In 1930-31 the total Government expendi ture was £140,000, while, during the same period, the value of exports from Samoa amounted to £280,000, so that Government expenditure amounted to 50 per cent, of the total income of the Territory.
In 1912 there were no export duties on produce: import duties amounted to 12½ per cent., or just about half the present import duties. Ordinary expen diture in 1912 (salaries to officials, etc.) amounted to £45,000, in 1930-31, prob ably to over £100,000. It may be pointed
out that the total staff of German of ficials in 1912 comprised only 38 in number, the staff of the New Zealand Administration in 1931 numbered 127 European officials.
As for 1931, the productivity of Samoa, measured by exports values, amounted to only three-quarters of the productivity in 1912. T'he lesson to be drawn from this comparison is obvious.
The Administration, of course, can in no way be blamed for the unfortunate economic situation of the country, which is a result of the disastrous drop in copra prices, and lately in banana shipments and prices, also a very small cocoa crop in 1931. But, as it is impos sible and unavailing to put new bur dens of taxation on the population, the only way out is for the Administration to adapt itself to the circumstances and cut expenditure, chiefly in wages, right down to bedrock. The purpose of the above figures is to show that it can be done and has been done. Not all ways to economise have been yet exhausted.