A.—4

Total Net Receipts at Customhouse, Apia.

CHINESE DEPARTMENT. The conditions of free labour under which the Chinese are now employed continue to give general satisfaction. Naturally there is a fair amount of shifting round from one employer to another, and labourers have taken full advantage of the privilege under this head. The reasons for this are that employers are always on the lookout for the best men ; likewise the labourers seek the employers whom they think they can best work with. Thus on the one hand employers readily discharge men they have found unsatisfactory, and, on the other, a labourer promptly gives notice if he thinks he has a chance to better his position. Taken as a whole the labourers may be considered as good average workers, and it does not follow because a man has been discharged on one or more occasions that he is a bad worker. It is a matter of temperament, as these same men have proved good workers under other employers, hence the advantage of the present system. That both employers and labourers are more satisfied under the present free-labour conditions is indicated by the following figures relative to the number of labourers required to report to the Chinese Commissioner during each of the last three yearly periods : —

The number of Chinese labourers in Western Samoa at the 31st March, 1923, was 1,328 ; at the 31st March, 1924, 967 ; and at the 31st March, 1925, 752. During the year 207 men were repatriated to China, nine died from natural causes, whilst one man returned to Sa noa from New Zealand after completion of the sentence of imprisonment which he was serving there. For the twelve months ended 31st March, 1925, £1,635, representing savings of wages bylabourers, was remitted to China to their relatives there, whilst a further sum of £400 was taken in cash to China by labourers being repatriated. The relations existing between the Chinese Consul and the Administration during the past year have continued to be most cordial. POLICE AND PRISONS DEPARTMENT. The criminal statistics published below represent all offences reported during the year, and show an aggregate net decrease of 114 as compared with the figures for the previous year. The'proportion of reported offences to the population was 1-43 per cent, as against 1-76 per cent, for the previous

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(To nearest pound sterling.) Stevedoring and Taxes, R . T . „ o,. . Lease of Sheds Native Travel . , j- D t .w < Year Import Export I Shipping , , . , . « p including Rotal Net * ear ' - Duty Duty. , Fees. „ ana UgMers, passes, Kale of Teceipts. * Launch-hire, and MoHiVi ol and Towage, j Water Rates. Liquor £ £ £ £ £ £ £ 1924-25 .. 43,015 15,008 2,268 796 8,909 3,610 73,606 1923-24 .. 41,948 11,685 2,195 1,029 9,495 2,098 68,450 1922-23 .. 45,673 16,272 1,962 889 10,125 1,017 75,938 1921-22 .. 56,824 14,395 1,779 1,209 9,540 653 84,400 1920-21 .. 79,567 9,563 1,383 4,661$ 9,524 3,053 107,751 1919-20 .. 43,022 8,035 . 746 235 11,268§ 448 63,754 * Lighters purchased outright by stevedoring syndicate, and rents ceased July, 1924. Travelling passes since 1st April, 1924, collected by Police Department. j Includes lighterage charges when Administration did stevedoring. j Includes Native taxes now collected by Police Department.

Subsequent to Introduction of Freex Otll 0I1C10CI 1 -1 f-* j». • 31st March, 1923, labour Conditions. Beason. prior to Introduction , of Free-labour ,, .. Conditions Year endlll « I Year ending 31st March, 1924. 31st March, 1925. Medical examination .. .. .. .. 569 56 30 Complaint by employer .. .. .. 1,037 578 122 Complaint by labourer .. .. .. 276 201 73 Left work without permission or notice .. 470 189 42