Fiji Has Half Million Surplus

From Our Own Correspondent.

Suva, Apr. 29.

THE satisfactory position of Fiji’s fin ances was revealed in figures given by His Excellency the Governor (Sir Arthur Richards) at the opening of th,e Legislative Council on April 22. These disclosed trade totalling nearly £4,000,- 000 for 1937 and a surplus of £69,232.

His Excellency said that the final fig ures for 1937, within approximately £2OO, showed that ordinary revenue amounted to £861,003, an increase of £129,824 over the original approved estimate. To this must be added extraordinary receipts, £86,333, representing a reimbursement of expenditure on the Government build ings, now recouped from the new loan.

Ordinary expenditure amounted to £688,165, an increase of £7,148 over th,e original estimate. Added to this were: (a) £147,499 expenditure on public works from surplus balances; and (b) £42,440 transferred to general reserve (£30,820) and Government vessels replacement fund (£11,620).

Total revenue (£947,366) exceeded total expenditure (£878,104) by £69,232. The ex cess of assets over liabilities, which at January 1, 1937, amounted to £472,894, was therefore increased to £542,126 at December 31. At the same date the gen eral reserve and the emergency reserve funds stood at £136,541 and £140,000 re spectively.

Total trade for 1937 was £3,974,401, be ing £337,120, or 91 per cent, higher than 1936. Imports valued at £1,760,744 aic the highest on record and, compared with 1936, show an increase of £258,890. Ex ports were valued at £2,213,657, or £78,- 230 higher than in 1936.