Tuna Dollars Roll In
pp. 77-79 · Read in the full issue
Eastern Samoa
IWT’HILE the quantity and value ff of copra exports declined in the 1956-57 financial year in Castem Samoa, exports of canned md fresh tuna and other fish con inued to rise.
Figures published in July show hat fish exports reached a value if 4,833,187 dollars, as compared pith 4,633,677, 981,689 and 109,287 lollars in the previous successive r ears since the Japanese-employed ndustry was founded.
Without this industry, American Samoa would have been in sorry flight, as copra is the only other mportant export and it has shown teady decline, reaching a new low if 1,095 short tons worth $166,350 iccording to the official figures approximately £A76 per long ton, Lverage price). Exports in the suc ;essive previous years were 1,486 hort tons worth 225,789 dollars, ,432 tons worth 232,669, dollars and ,803 tons worth 354,570 dollars.
The Cinerama film company which hot scenes in Tonga last August bartered another Ansett flying loat late in December to take .erial photographs of the Group. ?he Ansett aircraft arrived at Jukualofa from Sydney via New Zealand and returned via Fiji.
ATAFU’S swarming rat population is looking sleeker and hungrier this season —thanks to an effective programme of coconut palm banding.
Upwards of 40 per cent, of the coconuts on the main islet of this Tokelau atoll have been lost to rats in recent years, and to counter them a project was put in hand a couple of years ago to eventually place broad aluminium bands round every palm on the islet. Some 4,000 palms had been thus banded at the end of the last financial year, when a further three tons of aluminium sheeting was en route to the scene.
It is hoped that eventually rat will eat rat.
Already the copra output has increased. The rat problem exists on the other two Tokelau atolls, but to a less serious extent. —
J.P.S.
Man Who Tamed A
Fire Extinguisher
r!E justifiable insistence of the Samarai harbour master on fire extinguishers being carried by all boats, irrespective of size, will probably produce some’ humourous incidents. One happening pre-war will be remembered by many.
On the wharf in those days was a large cargo shed and hanging outside were several large fire extinguishers. On boat days the locals, gathered to greet the travellers and one trip of the Macdhui had rather a larger crowd than usual to see it pull out. All