9

A.—3

Statement op Revenue and Expenditure for the Year ended 31st March, 1924. Revenue. £ s. el. Expenditure. £ s. d' Balance in hand at 31st March, 1923 .. 972 18 9 Eduoation .. .. .. .. 46 711 Aid to revenue .. .. .. 487 0 0 Foreman, Public Works .. .. 225 0 0 Ammunition Account .. .. .. Or. 68 8 11 ; Furniture, officers'quarters .. .. 107 19 2 Copra export duty .. .. .. 701 10 0 Government buildings .. .. 271 4 0 Customs duties .. .. .. 1,857 lit 7 Hakupu —Teacher's residence .. .. 577 210 Dog-tax .. .. .. .. 44 17 6 Interpreters .. .. .. .. 120 0 0 High Court Ices and tines .. .. 241 5 3 Jetty .. .. .. .. 20 1 4 License's .. .. .. .. 155 15 0 Library .. .. .. .. 10 18 0 Liquor Account .. .. .. Or. 153 810 Matin trial—Expenses of Inspector Bennett 181 4 3 Native Land Court fees .. .. 84 10 0 Medical service .. .. .. 912 17 10 Registration Ices .. .. .. 15 9 0 Miscellaneous services .. .. .. 124 7 8 Stamp-sales .. .. .. ~ 831 II 9 Niue Island Council .. .. .. 60 0 0 Polioo .. .. .. .. 355 0 5 Printing and stationery .. .. 53 12 7 Prisoners' food and supervision . . . . 212 5 1 Rent, officers' quarters . . . . 40 10 0 Reservoirs .. .. .. . . 82 210 Roaels . . . . . . . . 806 4 0 Transport .. .. .. .. 190 2 2 4,403 0 1 Balance— £ s. el. Cash in hand .. .. 921 15 10 Bank of New Zealand .. 290 7 8 — 1,212 3 0 £5,615 3 7 £5,615 3 7 Shipping. During the, year the " Ysabel " made five trips to Niue from Auckland, the " Lady Roberts '' called once, and the ill-fated " Kaeo " was wrecked here on her first trip. In addition H.M.S- -" Chatham " and H.M.S. " Laburnum " visited Niue once each, and in March the American tourist steamer " Buford " spent a few hours he;re. After the " Ysabel " had made four trips she was taken off the run and the " Kaeo " replaced her. Her mails and inward cargo were ashore, anel she had taken on board some 50 tons of copra when she was wrecked at Tuapa. Tuapa is admittedly difficult to work, but vessels with anel without power have loadeel anel unloaded there successfully for the last half-century. Niue is acejuiring an unenviable reputation for wrecks, but the Resident Commissioner gives it as his opinion as to those vessels which have met with misfortune there of recent years that the islanel has done very little to earn it. Salvaging operations were commenced immediately, and part of the copra, with ship's fittings and stores, engine-parts, &c, were brought ashore before the vessel went over on her side, where she rapidly broke up. Captain MacDonalel and two of his men made the trip to Apia in the ship's lifeboat, with the result that the Samoan Administration's steamer " Lady Roberts " was promptly to hand. Orders for the hurricane season were forwarder! by the lifeboat, and these goods came to hanel in the " Ysabel " at Christmas time ; otherwise there woulel have been a shortage of food and general supplies. This Administration and, indeed, every one in Niue are deeply grateful to all concerned for the promptness with which relief was afforded. This emphasizes once more the necessity for wireless in an island such as Niue. In this case Captain MacDonalel was fortunate enough to make; Apia without mishap, but it is unfair to ask or permit men to run risks of that nature. The Resident Commissioner has twice been faced with this situation during his term here, and on the previous occasion—the wreck of the " Awanui " —ho declined to permit Captain Anderson to make such an attempt, as it was during the hurricane months, anel had disaster attended this boat he could not but have felt partly responsible. There are, of course, emergencies of other kinds where wireless might be no less than a vital necessity. Trade. Imports for 1923 amounted to £18,388, and exports to £13,227, a total trade value of £31,615, as against £30,540 in 1922. 702 tons e)f copra wore exported, but at le>ast another 200 tons we;re in the' sheds ready for shipment at the end of the year. The wreck of the " Kaeo " deprived the islanders of the opportunity of shipping another 100 tons or more. It is to be hoped that there will be facilities to clear the island at the end of this season. The export of hats is small. There is a glut in these articles in Now Zealand, while tariffs and the competition of cheap Asiatic hats prevent entry to other markets. The fact that the promised steamer service did not materialize was a heavy blow to the island. A fruit trade is the only road to progress horc, and it has already been abundantly proved in the Pacific that copra alone is not sufficient to make an island prosperous. A number of Natives planted bananas extensively in view of the proposed service, and it has been suggested that, should a regular steamer service not eventuate this year, a steamer should call at least once late in the year to ship what bananas are available and also remove any balance of copra lying in the sheds. Pe>RT or Aloft. Return of Imports for the Year ended 31' si December, 1923. £ [ £ New Zealand .. .. ..14,737 Switzerland .. .. .. 99 United Kingdom .. .. .. 1,067 United States of America .. .. 783 Australia .. .. .. .. 1,627 American Samoa .. .. .. 3 Canada .. .. .. •■ 1 ■ Western Samoa .. .. .. 69 £18,388 Tonga .. .. .. .. 2 .=«—«

2—A. 3.