Healthy Finance
p. 64 · Read in the full issue
Samoan Report for 1937-38
From Our Own Correspondent.
APIA, Sept. 13.
THE annual report of the Mandated Territory of Western Samoa for the year ended March 31, 1938, shows the following:— One of the Samoan seats in the Legis lative Council is still vacant owing to the nomination of the Mau of Mr. O. P Nelson for the seat. Mr. Nelson, owing to his European status, is ineligible. The report mentions the formation of a Sam oan Party in opposition to the Mau Movement.
There is an admission of the failure of the experiment of the Government-owned N.Z. Reparations Estate? to replace Chin ese plantation labour with Samoan lab our. It is stated that “very few natives have availed themselves of facilities to reside permanently on the plantations and the resident Samoans have been limi ted to two drier attendants”.
Health conditions in the Territory dur ing the year compare favourably with the preceding year. A striking reduction in infant mortality was recorded, ascribed to intensified baby welfare work and pro gressive medical and sanitary education among the natives. During the year, 16,800 Samoan fales were visited and 1.820 vilage inspections carried out. Over 72 women’s village committees are in ex istence, and collaborate with the Medical Department and the Native medical prac titioners.
Trade in 1937 was the best since 1928 total trade being £620,304 against £430,275 for the previous year, an increase of 44.16 per cent., mainly due to better prices for copra and cocoa during the first half of 1937 and an increase in banana ex ports, which reached the record figure of 187,755 cases.
In consequence of improved trade condi tions, the finances of the Samoan Admini stration were the best for many years past, and a surplus of £3BO is shown after the payment of £5,500 in direct redemp tion of debt, the setting aside of £5,000 for the proposed replacement of the bridge over the Vaisigano River, and a further £8,500 for the 1938-39 building programme. The accumulated surplus at March, 1938, was £24,561, apart from re serves for replacements of assets, and for building purposes, totalling £25,000. The total revenue of the Administration in 1937-38 was £139,450, the highest since 1920-21.