Fijian Paradox.

Has Huge Trade Credit, Yet Cur rency 25 Per Cent. Under Sterling.

THE figures issued officially by the Customs Department, Suva, showing the exports and imports for Fiji for the years ended, respectively, December, 1931, and December, 1932, provide start ling evidence of the remarkably strong financial position that is being created in that prosperous colony, in spite of the depression.

The figures are:

It will thus be seen that, while the imports in 1932 fell substantially, ex ports increased enormously—mostly the result of extraordinary sugar production —with the result that in 1932 this for tunate country exported goods almost double the value of goods imported. As a result, Fiji has created abroad in 1932 alone a credit of nearly £850,000. To this has to be added a substantial sum received by the Colony in interest on Government funds accumulated in Lon don, of well over £ 300,000.

And yet—such are the amazing things which are happening to-day in this world of economic chaos—the exchange value of Fiji currency has just been fixed at 25 per cent, under sterling!

This state of things can scarcely ob tain very long. If it does continue for any length of time, we shall see Fiji producing a virile race of South Sea millionaires.

But perhaps that is too hasty a con clusion. How much of this extraordin ary revenue is going into the coffers of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co.? C.S.R. shareholders please note!

1931. £ 1932. £ Imports 929,514 859,346 Exports Details of Exports — 1,000,187 1,698,964 Sugar 624,310 1,289,239 Copra 177,786 170,240 Bananas 57,368 67,237 Molasses 9,019 9,448 Rubber — 2 Trochus 7,371 12,125 Other articles 124,333 150,673