A.-4

26

Solar Radiation. Unfortunately, owing to depleted staff, little time could be spared for this important line of investigation by means of which a direct measure is obtained of the amount of the sun's heat transmitted through the humid atmosphere of a tropical island. Time Service. A service accurate to about three-tenths of a second has been maintained throughout the year. Atmospheric Electricity. The atmospheric electric potential was measured, as heretofore, both in the Observatory grounds and at a house erected on piles in shallow water about one-third of a mile oft' shore. Although the results from the two stations closely resemble each other, the daily maxima and minima are more pronounced in the records at the lagoon station than at the station in the Observatory grounds. The Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institution of Washington have again given generous assistance for carrying on the atmospheric electrical programme. Publications and Personnel. During the year the annual report for 1926 was published, giving the complete observational data obtained during that year. Also a monograph of seventy-nine pages was issued on the upperair data, based on 239 pilot-balloon flights made from February, 1925, to December, 1928. The resident staff of the Observatory consisted of the Acting-Director, scientific assistant, and three Samoan clerks. FINANCE. In order to show more clearly the financial position of the Territory, it has been decided to separate from the revenue the amount of assistance given by the New Zealand Government and to add to the expenditure all payments made by the New Zealand Government in respect of the Administration. The policy for the future will be to cause all payments on account of the Territory to be made through the Samoan Treasury direct, and the amount of any anticipated deficit will decide the extent of subsidy to be granted. It is also considered that the information supplied by the balance-sheet in the past has been very meagre, and, to remedy this, a more detailed statement is given this year. Revenue. The statement hereunder shows the amount of revenue received during the financial year ended 31st March, 1930. For purposes of comparison the revenue for the previous year, 1928-29, is also shown.

Head of Revenue. 1928-29. ! 1929-30. I £ £ 1. Native taxes .. .. .. .. .. 6,343 2,238 2. Customs and Marine — (a) Customs, taxes, and Harbour .. .. .. .. 85,969 81,300 (b) S.s. " Lady Roberts" .. .. .. .. 4,276 3,376 3. Fees and charges (Court, hospital, &oJ) .. .. .. 8,831 11,699 4. Post Office and Savings-bank .. .. .. .. 6,168 6,548 5. Radio-station .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,513 3,570 6. Miscellaneous (rents, interest, &c.) .. .. .. .. 6,804 11,839 7. Engineering and Transport Department .. .. .. .. 10,846 121,904 131,416 New Zealand Government Subsidies. General .. .. . . . . . . .. .. 20,000 20,000 Constabulary .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14,850 Military Police .. .. .. .. .. .. 27,374 4,598* 47,374 39,448 Totals .. .. .. .. .. .. £169,278 i £170,864 * This item does not include any expenditure on account of the force of Military Police recently prepared (but not dispatched). The cost of this force will be met by New Zealand, and will not be debited to Samoa.