Dear £. s. d.
p. 77 · Read in the full issue
Tariff at Pago's Rainmaker ranges from $5 to $l2 per day, share or not. (This includes meals).
Most Americans who try it claim ifs too much—but they are better off than the Sterling bloc travellers who lose out on exchange as well.
Although Australian bank charts say that £5 Sterling is worth approximately $l4 US, the most the Rainmaker Hotel will give is $72.50. The Bank of American Samoa, I am told, sticks to the same rate although I had no way of finding out — the bank operates from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, Monday to Friday, and by the time I had found out, it had closed for the week end.
In effect, the $72 room at the Rainmaker costs the Britisher $ 13.50 which, any way you look at it, is daylight robbery.
Presumably, when American Samoa gets its tourist industry going, it too will be aimed at Americans, with Stg. travellers at their own peril.