Samoa Balances Its Budget For 1932-33.
p. 41 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent.
APIA, Sept. 12.
AFTER considerable delay, due prob ably to the constantly changing economic conditions, the estimates for 1932-33 have been issued.
They show the very satisfactory fact that the Administration, by rigid economy expects to be able to balance the budget without outside assistance.
Including a balance of £7,041 brought forward from last financial year, the expected revenue amounts to £105,003, against an estimated expenditure of £104,317 for the financial year (April 1, 1932, to March 31, 1933).
An examination of the detailed esti mates discloses some interesting facts.
Except in the case of bananas, the esti mated produce exports may be consid ered as conservative, banana exports will hardly reach the figure of 84,000 cases for the year.
A remarkable fact revealed by the estimates is the remission of the whole of the anana export duty under the heading of “refund” following on the new banana contract concluded in May of this year. This constitutes a loss of revenue for the Administration to the tune of £9,450, a distinctly unfavourable development and evidence of the handi caps the banana export trade is suffer ing at present.
The estimated revenue for 1932-33 of 97,962, compares with an actual revenue of £109,040 last year, which was £18,000 below the estimate.
The estimated expenditure for 1932- 33 of £104,317 compares with an actual expenditure of £128,936, and an esti
mated expenditure of £138,853 in 1931- 1932.
Under the heading of Customs, Taxes and Marine, the export duty on ban anas, as mentioned above, shows a large falling off (£9,000) and “Postal and Radio” revenue is estimated at about £3,000 less. The other depart ments show only insignificant changes as against last year’s revenue.
In the estimates of expenditure the results of the stringent retrenchment policy of the Administration are shown with the exception of “Permanent Charges on Public Debt” and the “Treasury Department" which show increases of £6,120 and £1,330 respec tively, all other departments show con siderable decreases in expenditure due mainly to cuts in wages and salaries and retrenchments.
In round figures, the savings effected in the various departments are as fol lows: —
A total saving of about £25,000 has been effected!—truly a very satisfac tory result of the efforts of the Admin istrator.
It is probable, though uncertain so far, that the output of copra and cocoa for the financial year will be in excess of the estimates and the final results will be thus further improved.
Administrator and Government House 400 Customs, taxes and marine . 11,650 £ Education 1,100 Health 1,500 Justice 200 Labour 600 Lands and Survey 250 Native 700 Police and Prisons 5,000 Postal and Radio 2,750 Public Trust 250 Public Works 4,550 Secretariat 3,950 €32,000