Samoa’S Continued Prosperity

Assembly Reviews Finances

From Our Own Correspondent

APIA, August 11. i N interesting picture of the highly A prosperous condition of Western Samoa, and the benefits it enjoys from New Zealand’s administration, was presented when the estimates for the current year were before the Legislative Assembly recently.

The Territory had a surplus, from the last financial period, (revenue, £521,000, expenditure, £458,000) of over £60,000. It has £500,000 in its General Reserve, and another large sum in Capital Develop ment Reserve. In the past year. New Zealand granted subsidies for public works and education, totalling just under £lOO,OOO. In the current year, New Zealand grants will be about £142,000 These subsidies are mainly provided from the profits of New Zealand Reparation Estates, a large concern operated' in Samoa by the New Zealand Government ever since the country was taken over from Germany, in 1920.

Big constructional projects are under way in Samoa. The Development Reserve will be called upon for £174,000.

Members pointed out, soberly, that the Territory’s financial position was precar ious until 1943, when the World War lifted produce prices to high levels, which had since been maintained. Seven years’ prosperity might well be followed by seven years of falling prices, they said. They must plan with caution, and not dissi pate their reserves.

There was a long debate on the newly established department of agriculture, in which the need for new cultivation, agri cultural and technical training and re search, was stressed.

After lively discussion of the Broad

casting Department vote, the proposal to engage another English announcer was defeated. Members thought too much money is being spent on this Department.

It was decided to ask the Government to amend the law, so that it may be pos sible to sue Samoans for trade debts incurred by them.

The 13-days session showed that in the two years since the Assembly was estab lished the members have gained consid erably in political and administrative knowledge, and the High Commissioner (Mr. G. R. Powles) took opportunity to congratulate the Assembly on the high level of the discussions. This, he said, augured well for the future of Samoa.

Members urged the need for the estab lishment of new industries. Some advocated new agricultural enterprises— pepper, coffee, soya beans, cattle raising, soap-making were all mentioned. Euro pean members pleaded for new land settlement for the steadily growing Euro nesian population, while the Samoans asked, among other things, for better water supplies for the outside villiages.

The Hon. Tamasese remarked that, as Communism flourished mainly on ignor ance, novertv and starvation, there was not much danger of Communism in Samoa —so long as they maintained a happy, prosperous and contented popula tion.

Mr. A. D. Playfair, expert sales super intendent of W. D. & H. O. Wills (Aust.) Ltd., leading Australian tobacco mer chants, returned to Sydney at the end of August after a business visit to Papua- New Guinea.

Mr. James Crawford, a popular of ficer of the Bank of New Zealand, and well known in Fiji dramatic circles, has returned to the Suva Branch of the Bank.

A network of seven weather ships will be operated in the North Pacific as an interim system to improve forecasting for planes and ships. The United States will operate five weather ships, and Canada and Japan one each. The Inter national Civil Aviation Organisation expects to provide a more comprehensive international plan later.