H.—44.

8

The quantities and values of the principal exports of Western Samoa during the last five years are shown below :—

Cook and Niue Islands. The exports of these islands for the year 1929 aggregated £146,692, and imports £125,944, as against corresponding totals of £153,989 and £136,276 for 1928. The figures for each of the last five years are as under : —

By far the largest part of the trade of this group of islands is conducted with New Zealand. Of recent years the United States has filled the second position of importance—but a considerable distance behind New Zealand—and then comes the United Kingdom. Exports from the Cook Islands to New Zealand in 1928 amounted to £96,470 and from Nine £16,347. Imports into the Cook Islands from New Zealand in the same year totalled £81,511 and into Niue £14,403. The total trade of New Zealand with the group in 1928 therefore amounted to £208,731 out of a total trade of £290,265, or approximately 72 per cent. The detailed figures for 1929 showing the direction of the trade of these islands are not yet available. The principal exports from the Lower Group are oranges, bananas, tomatoes, and copra ; from the Northern Group copra and pearl-shell ; and from Niue copra, bananas, and the well-known Niuean hats and fancy baskets. Trade with Australia. One of the features of our external trade during the last few years has been the decline in our trade with Australia, both absolutely and relatively to total trade. This tendency is exemplified by the following table, which sets out the figures for the last five years :—

I I Cocoa. Copra. Rubber. Year ended 31st December, ; 'i , j 1 Tons. ! Value. Tons. Value. Tons. Value. £ £ £ 1925 .. .. .. .. 664 39,626 14,519 331,274 3 1,165 1926 .. .. .. .. 356 20,151 12,249 275,086 331 6,702 1927 .. .. .. .. j 792 48,216 11,665 242,672 158~ 24,802 1928 .. .. .. .. ! 959 69,507 15,989 319,259 167 17,268 1929 .. .. .. .. ; 677 46,286 12,941 205,330 110 9,613 ,

Exports. Imports. Year. ; ; : 1 > Cook Islands. Nine Island, i Total. Cook Islands. Niue Island. Total. . | . j £ £ £ £ £ £ 1925 .. .. 151,939 17,429 169,368 130,609 18,747 149,356 1926 .. ... 138,588 17,655 156,243 134,473 17,563 152,036 1927 .. .. 138,357 14,350 152,707 116,606 14,006 130,612 1928 .. .. 133,051 20,938 153,989 117,639 18,637 136,276 1929 .. .. ; 124,486 22,206 146,692 106,835 19,109 125,944

™ , , Imports from Aus- ! l X^? r 0 I tralia (according to Total Trade. Australia. , v . A »■ Country ot Origin). £ £ £ 1925 .. .. 2,502,113 5,249,493 7,751,606 1926 .. .. 3,054,433 4,625,200 7,679,633 1927 .. .. 3,665,962 3,869,246 7,535,208 1928 .. .. 3,402,655 3,499,151 6,901,806 1929 .. .. 2,338,410 3,258,727 5,597,137