Urged

N.Z. Preferential Tariff Urged Judge Watson’s Lecture on Samoan Produce

From Our Own Correspondent APIA, July 1.

V N interesting lecture was given to Samoan planters at Apia recently by Chief Judge R. M. Watson, who has been in Samoa on circuit duty. Acting- Administrator Turnbull occupied the chair, while Mr. D. Eden (manager of N.Z. Reparation Estates) represented the Samoan Planters’ Association, sponsors of the address.

Introducing the lecturer, Mr. A. C.

Turnbull pointed out that Judge Watson had resided in Samoa twice, during the war and post war period, and was well known to old Samoan residents. He had taken great interest in Samoan affairs, and in his extensive travels abroad had visited many tropical countries and studied their agricultural products.

Opening his address, Judge Watson stated that he would confine himself to hard facts and statistical material. He had compiled a chart showing the actual products at present grown in Samoa. The main crops were coconuts and cocoa beans, of which copra was sold ex clusively on the European and American markets, while cocoabeans were supplied to Europe and America, and in smaller quantities to Australia and New Zealand.

For all other products (bananas, coffee, arrowroot, etc.) and possible products (sago, tapioca, vanilla, nutmegs, cinna mon and cloves) New Zealand was the only market. To compete with foreign and Empire products, the New Zealand Government should be approached to grant a preferential tariff for Samoan products. Without such a tariff, Samoa would be unable to stand up against Asiatic countries with their cheap labour and mass production.

Showing the position in regard to coffee, the lecturer gave official trade statistics of imports into New Zealand, proving that it should be possible for Samoa to support most or a substantial portion of the coffee consumed there. He added that Samoan coffee was far superior in quality to most of the brands now sold in New Zealand. It was, of course, necessary to establish a market in New Zealand, which should not be difficult once a preferential duty was granted by the Government.

The position was equally favourable in regard to desiccated coconut, which could be produced easily in Samoa in sufficient quantities to fill the whole of the demand in New Zealand.

Judge Watson then outlined his views on how Samoan products should be handled in New Zealand. It was planned to form a commercial company for that purpose, which could propagate and handle the sale of Samoan produce, charging only a small profit. With the Samoan growers co-operating and the N.Z. Government favourably inclined, the project would have fair prospects of success and should benefit Samoan planters considerably.

Complimenting the lecturer on his lucid and instructive address, Mr. D.

Eden (President of the Planters’ Asso ciation) pointed out that the production of desiccated coconut required special

machinery and, consequently, an outlay of capital which the private planter did not possess. Consequently it would fall to the N.Z. Reparation Estates to show the way. For several of the alternative products, conditions in Samoa were un suitable. One or two could probably be grown as a sideline by small planters.

There was a new settlement scheme now under consideration by the Admini stration, stated Mr. Eden, under which local men would be settled at Saleinoa on small blocks of land. The possibilities mentioned by Judge Watson might aid these new settlers to establish them selves.

Hon, I. H. Carruthers pointed out that before experimenting with new crops, it would be necessary to make certain of the preferential duties to be granted by New Zealand, else Samoa would be mov ing in a vicious circle. As mother country New Zealand was bound to assist in the development of Western Samoa, he added.

A Zeppelin service between Europe and Java (Dutch East Indies) will be opened in 1937, states Dr. Bronsing, chairman of the Dutch Zeppelin Syndicate. The scheduled time for the voyage will be under six days.