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delivery after the placing of orders. As an instance of the saving to be effected by purchasing certain lines in the United Kingdom, cement might be quoted as an example : — Per Ton. £ s. d. Price schedule by New Zealand Stores Control Board .. .. 512 6 (at Auckland). Freight, Auckland-Apia .. .. .. .. .. 217 6 8 10 0 Price quoted, United Kingdom .. .. .. .. 2 17 0 Freight, London Apia, .. .. .. .. .. 210 0 / £5 7 0 The latter is best English, packed in casks, which, on account of the local climate, is much more satisfactory than the method of packing in bags. JUSTICE. The work of the Department has been satisfactorily carried on by the existing staff, which is the same in number and personnel as it was last year. There has been a big increase in the number of cases since 1921, and consequently in the work of the staff. The increase is more on the civil than on the criminal side, the number of cases in the former class (principally small debt cases) showing a marked advance on the previous year, probably owing to the prevailing bad times. Conditions having improved, there will no doubt be a falling-off in the number of civil cases during the coming year. Administration of Justice. Returns. -The returns attached show the number of civil and criminal cases dealt with by the Court. The Chief Judge dealt with the more serious criminal cases and the more important civil cases, and the Commissioners with all the lesser offences and with the civil claims up to £20. There have been no appeals either from the Chief Judge to the Supreme Court of New Zealand or from the Commissioners to the Chief Judge. A reference to the report of the Police Department will show that most of the offences in the returns are of the usual lower-Court class, and the number of convictions for serious offences during the year comparatively small. Samoan Land and Titles Commission. —This important Court, presided over by the Chief Judge, with three European Assessors versed in the Samoan land customs to assist him, and with twenty Samoan Commissioners, also chosen for their knowledge of such customs, to advise the Court, dealt with forty-two cases —some being very important ones. There have been only four applications for rehearings, which fact indicates that this system of settling disputes between Samoans over their communal lands and their names or titles (which are highly valued and jealously guarded by the Samoans) is a satisfactory one. Imws anil Ordinances. —Fourteen Ordinances have been drafted, of which thirteen have received the Administrator's consent. The number tends to decrease now that the former German local Ordinances are largely replaced by the Legislative. Council Ordinances. There has been no amendment to the Samoa Act, 1921 (Constitution Act), but several important Orders in Council have been made in New Zealand by the Governor-General on the advice of his Executive Council. Land Registration. —The return attached shows the number of transactions put through the land register, which is kept by the Registrar of the High Court. Companies Registration. —During the year the Companies Act of New Zealand, with certain modifications, was brought into force, and as a result private companies have been incorporated to carry on the business of merchants and island traders. The Registrar of the Court undertakes the duties of Registrar of Companies in addition to his other duties. High Court of Western Samoa at Apia.

Return of Civil Cases for the Period 1st April, 1922, to 31st March, 1923.

3—A. 4.

Quarter ending Sitting Bays. Actions filod. Actions hear.!. P~ V\ ithdrawn and struck out. 1922. June September .. December .. 27 24 26 281 172 118 101 117 139 137 91 105 130 116 10 12 9 1923. 22 119 21 March Totals 99 590 494 442 52