NZ Offers Samoa
p. 47 · Read in the full issue
More Than it Needs
The New Zealand Government has offered to Western Samoa certain grants for the financial year 1959, it was announced by the High Commissioner, Mr. G. R. Powles, CMG, at the opening of the Legis lative Assembly Session at Mulinu’u on January 27.
The grants amount to £NZ257,750 in all, and are as follows: £ll,OOO for the scholarship scheme for Samoan students now in New Zealand; £3,000 for the cost of the Samoan school journal; £23,320 for capital development and half maintenance of Avele Agricultural College; £5,750 as a grant in aid of
Government House expenditure; and £15,000 as a special grant for Lands and Survey and agriculture extension activities.
The Commissioner said that this ver y generous offer would be placed before the Assembly for considera tion when the Budget and Estimates were discussed. The Government proposed that the first four items should be accepted, but that the last £15,000 for lands and agriculture activities be given further consideration in view of the substantial improvement in the financial position of Western Samoa.
It was not fair to ask the New Zealand Government to subsidise expenditure which the country could afford to undertake itself.