Samoan News

No Exchange Benefit for Samoan Cocoa-growers.

From Our Own Correspondent

Apia, Feb. 19.

THE exchange of 25 per cent, now in force has made worse the unfortunate position of Samoan producers who, in contrast with the New Zealand farmers, will not benefit by increased values for their products, which are ex clusively sold locally, but will have to pay higher prices for all the necessities of life.

The stringent economic position shows in bankruptcies and forced court sales of lands and plantations, advertised in the local paper. The local firms, with large, outstanding accounts on their books, have lately had to stop or limit credit to many of their European customers.

Personal,

The last “Maui Pomare” brought back from furlough in New Zealand the Har bourmaster, Mr. M. Clymont, and family and Mr. H. M. Yallop, of the N.Z. Repa ration Estates. By the same boat there left for a short furlough in New Zealand the Secretary to the Administrator, Mr.

Turnbull, and Chief Judge Luxford.

Constables B. W. Curtis, G. Lawrence, D. McTavish and C. W. Bates left on the “Maui Pomare,” the police force being further restricted in numbers as an economy measure.

Amongst the passengers on the “Stella Polaris” was a well-known German author, Herr Mayrhofer.

Mr. Watson, Deputy Administrator of Savaii and formerly engineer in charge of Public Works Department, has re signed his position and will shortly re turn to New Zealand.