Remarkoble Trade Figures

W. Samoa Is Still

Booming

From Our Own Correspondent

Apia, Jan. 28.

PRELIMINARY figures for the trade of W. Samoa in 1947, show that the total trade of the Territory (Im ports and Exports) was well over £2,000,000 in value or about double the figure for 1946.

The increase is accounted for by the large rise in the cocoa and copra prices during the year, while imports showed an increase in volume and value, mainly due to price increases in a great variety of imported goods, including foodstuffs and building materials.

There are some interesting sidelights on the continuing prosperity of the com munity. Government liquor sales for in stance during 1947 amounted to the record figure of over £20,000.

The building boom continues and large quantities of building materials are im norted by every shin arriving from over seas. The Samoans, with their greatly increased purchasing power, compete now with the Europeans in buying new motor cars, American refrigerators, radios, bi cycles and other modern and expensive conveniences.

The island of Savaii, which in former times always took a back seat, against the sonhisticated inhabitants of the is land of Upolu, is no more a land of backward country cousins. They are flush with money they obtain from the proceeds of their large cocoa plantations and are treated with respect by other Samoan districts which have been less foresighted and dilligent in planting cocoa.

The recent dron in the cocoa price of £4O per ton seems'to have been of a tem porary' nature, and cocoa markets have recovered again.

The present price is £245 per ton f.o.b.

Apia, but as January is the off-season for cocoa and the new crop will not be picked before March-April, very little cocoa is offering locally.

The Rev. A. C. Hobson, of the Anglican Mission has been serving, in Apia, W.

Samoa.