Setback For
pp. 23-24 · Read in the full issue
New Hurricane Is
Western Samoa
From R. F. RANKIN , in Apia Just as Western Samoa’s agri culture appeared on the verge of
a spectacular recovery following
the devastating hurricane two years ago, nature dealt another blow on February 10 when a second severe hurricane struck the islands.
It was only a short three-hour storm with winds averaging about 70 mph (reaching a peak of 90 mph), but it was enough to com pletely flatten many banana planta tions, to once more severely damage cocoa and coconut trees, and do more damage to buildings in Apia than the previous hurricane. Four people were seriously injured. Never theless, the hurricane was not as serious as the previous one.
Preliminary official estimates placed damage to bananas ranging from 20 per cent, to 100 per cent., with a country-wide average of 70 per cent, loss of mature stems; cocoa production loss of 25 per cent.; and copra production, which had just started to soar towards an expected 15,000 tons for the year, will be knocked back to last year’s figure of 8,000 tons, the worst for 30 years.
Banana exports down
Damage to Government buildings, mainly in Apia, which was the worst hit area, was estimated at $150,000.
Damage to books and buildings in district and village schools was estimated at about $30,000.
Public Works says that with road maintenance at a minimum over the last two years because of stringent economy measures following the earlier hurricane, the new hurricane, has seriously accelerated road deterioration. At least $500,000 is now required to bring the roads back to good order.
The Minister of Agriculture, Laufili Time, said that banana exports could be as low as 500 cases a ship over the next six months. There was no hope of reaching the pre hurricane target of 200,000 cases for this year. (Shipments last year totalled 95,218 cases).
But recovery should be much quicker than after the previous hurri
cane because of the 2,000 acres of new plantings since then.
Worst hit were the banana planters, who will now be unable to pay their rehabilitation loans as expected.
The Samoan Government will once more seek aid, probably in the form of food for planters, and for use in rehabilitation schemes, from the World Food Programme; and in finance from New Zealand, Australia and other friendly nations.
The good use to which the Samoans in most instances put the somewhat meagre aid they got follow ing the last hurricane should stand them in good stead in their present difficulties.
Fortunately, Mr. J. F. Knowles, first secretary to the US Embassy in Wellington, was in Samoa at the time of the blow, and the week following a team arrived from the Asian Development Bank. So also did Mr.
Kebbie, a senior officer of the New South Wales Department of Agri culture, to review the progress of the banana industry in which Aus tralia has recently played an increas ingly significant part with technical assistance. These men will give first hand reports.
The Government reportedly has hopes of this year getting a develop ment loan in excess of $1,000,000 from the Asian Bank.
The hurricane could provide a serious setback to development efforts, but with the prospects of overseas aid, increased investment by overseas firms, possibly improving prices for cocoa and copra, increased tourism and an agricultural recovery during the latter half of the year, this year could still end on a brighter note than for some years past.