Solomons And

Higher Duties In

New Hebrides

The British Solomon Islands Pro tectorate, and the British-French Condominium of the New Hebrides, being neighbours, decided in Decem ber on the neighbourly action of put ting up local prices in an effort to get more money.

THE decisions were taken at their respective Budget sessions, in Honiara and Vila.

The BSIP will increase stamp duties, postal rates, fares and freights on Government vessels, and duties on spirits, wines and liqueurs, con fectionery, fireworks and piece goods.

The increase on spirits is 10/- a gallon, which is about 1/4 a bottle.

Piece goods go up five per cent.

The BSIP Budget for 1966 is for £A3,422,607, including a British grant-in-aid of £A612,500 —the grant being £4,000 more than last year’s.

The Protectorate will raise a total of an extra £42,000 from the new revenue measures.

The Financial Secretary, Mr. T.

Russell, said the local economy was becoming increasingly buoyant with a healthy increase in export. In the last four years the Protectorate had raised internally £450,000 of increased expenditure.

It was essential to future stability that revenue must be brought up to balance expenditure without having to draw increasing amounts from grants.

In the New Hebrides, the new Budget is for a total of £Stg.9lB,ooo, and an expected deficit of £9,000 is to be met from reserves.

There will be increased duties on tobacco (cigarettes will be up 3d a packet), quality bottled wine, petrol and mats.

The Resident Commissioners had proposed increasing duties on beer, and introduction of an aviation ser vice tax (on airline passengers carried) but these were withdrawn after Ad visory Council discussions.

Said the Resident Commissioners, echoing the sentiments of Mr.

Russell in Honiara: “A serious local financial effort should be made . . . . the budget should not be swallowed up by the recurrent costs of various services.” • Mrs. Agnes Terei, a 26-year old assistant teacher at the Sainte Therese Mission School at Santo, became the first woman member of the New Hebrides Advisory Council at its December session.