Large Surpluses?

What Becomes Of

W. Samoa’S

PEOPLE who understand national economics insist that the New Zealand Government, or instrument ilities which it protects, are getting rery substantial benefits out of Western Samoa.

Every year since the war, there las been in the Territory an excess »f exports over imports ranging from :200.000 to £500,000. What becomes if these accumulated credits? There ire no bank statistics. The Bank of Jew Zealand operates in Samoa, and ome of the big mercantile houses if Australia, New Zealand and Fiji iave branches there. Presumably, JZ gets most of whatever benefits ccrue from the accumulations.

The last official report shows that, very year, there is a surplus of gov rnmental funds, and the accumula te there, since the war, up to the nd of 1950, was £733,000. Of that, 664.000 was “invested in New Zea ind.

The NZ authority runs the old Ger lan properties as New Zealand Re aration Estates, at a profit, for the enefit of the Samoans. Every year, aything from £lO,OOO to £50,000 is anded back to the Samoans, mostly )r education and public works—a 'ocedure which cannot be too highly raised.

Samoa is a very happy, healthy id well-fed country. Nonetheless, is not surprising that some in digent Samoans point out that icy could be even better off if they ceived all the rich revenues which teir country earns under present mditions.