“Must Economise”

The Boom

[?] Susted

Western Samoa “Must Economise”

I/'EYWORD of the recent Budget session of the Western Samoan

egislative Assembly was “economy,”

s lower prices for Samoa’s chief

xports were already being felt.

The Budget session commenced a March 27 and continued until pril 18. Estimates of receipts and lyments for the year 1956 were de ited lengthily, and the need for onomy and increasing production id improving the quality of agri iltural products was stressed.

Efforts by members of the isembly to reduce development ex nditure of a non-essential and n-urgent nature were unsuccessful id the Estimates, as submitted by e Government, were passed with t deletions or amendments.

Criticism was levelled at the un- Susfactory medical services and e lack of qualified medical staff the Health Department, and dur ? the discussion of the Public >rks vote the very high cost of the dro-electric scheme was criticised. :t was pointed out that the initial imate for the Alaoa hydro-electric leme of £36,000 had already been needed by £lOO,OOO and that the vernment was committed to spend ther large sums on these schemes a time when the financial posi a and prospects were anything - sound. temarks by the Secretary to the vernment, Mr. T. R. Smith, that itical pressure had caused losses ounfing to thousands of pounds the Public Works and had ught about the resignation of the ner Director of Works was mgly challenged by the elected nbers who pointed out that, to contrary, chaotic conditions iting at the Public Works De tment had led to the request for impartial investigation of the •artment by a Commission of In •y and that the subsequent find ; of this Commission had fully ified the investigation, which had img to do with politics. ipies of an attractive new publi sh dealing with the petroleum istry in Australia, overseas and apua are being made available to New South Wales school Iren. The booklet is entitled r Magic of Oil,” and has been ially prepared by Vacuum Oil ipany Pty. Ltd. to meet requests i school pupils and University ents for authentic up-to-date ?nal.