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1939. NEW ZEALAND.

NIUE ISLAND ADMINISTRATION.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

REPORT ON THE NIUE ISLAND ADMINISTRATION, 1938-39. Finance. The estimated expenditure for the year ended 31st March, 1939, was £20,460, the sum actually expended being £20,196 lis. Id., or approximately £260 less than the amount authorized. The estimated revenue was £16,871 and that actually received, £14,468 6s. 2d., the reduction beino due mainly to adverse trade conditions and factors beyond the control of the Administration. The deficit provided for was £3,589. Even though the amount expended did not exceed that authorized, as a result of the decrease in revenue the deficit actually amounted to £5,728 4s. lid. This sum was provided from reserves held by the Administration. Expenditure has been kept at an absolute minimum, and no new works or undertakings have been attempted. Tkade. Imports for the calendar year 1938 totalled £16,380 and exports, £15,045, a total trade value of £31,425. In the previous year the total trade amounted to £52,630. The reduction was due to the fact that very little copra was made owing to the very low price obtainable, and also to the shortage of bananas available for shipment. Copra. Three hundred and ninety-five tons, valued at £3,500, were exported. The following were the local prices paid in the villages during 1938 : January to April, £5 per ton ; May to August, £3 per ton; September to December, £1 10s. per ton. Approximately four 'thousand coconuts are required to make one ton of copra. When the amount of labour involved in gathering these four thousand nuts, husking them, cutting out the kernel for copra, drying it, and taking it to the trader is considered it will be understood why little copra is being made. The price paid is very low, yet when the costs incurred by the merchants in transport, bagging, &c., are considered the price offered is as much or even more than can be expected while the market value remains at its present low level. Bananas. The shortage in the banana shipments was due to adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, much of the available land has already been planted, and the balance is not being planted as it should be, because it does not produce such good crops. This year exports amounted to 18,656 cases, valued at £6,500, whereas during the previous year 26,709 cases, valued at £10,283, were exported. Kumeras—A record quantity was shipped during the year. Altogether, 318| tons, valued at £3,371, were exported, as compared with 123J; tons, valued at £1,451, for the previous year, a record up to that period. Hats and Baskets.—Hats exported constituted a record for several years, there being 1,043 dozen, valued at £483, shipped, the previous year the total being 694 dozen, valued at £254. There was also a record for several years in the export of baskets, 436 dozen, valued at £400, were shipped, as compared with 167 dozen, valued at £92, the previous year. The following table shows the quantities and values of the principal exports for the last ten years : —

1 A.—6.

Copra. Bananas. j Baskets. Hats. Fungus. Kumeras. Year. Val "e. Quantity. Value Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. | Quantity. Value. Qu an - ! Value. ' tity. Tons. £ Cases. £ Dozens. £ Dozens. £ lb. £ Tons £ 1929 .. 735 11,652 17,434 7,683 2,948 1,879 574 386 6,606 222 1930 .. 335 3,382 21,456 9,787 1,012 660 1,214 810 5,694 183 1931 .. 204 2,269 8,703 3,590 801 480 271 185 3,789 151 "l5 278 1932 .. 366 3,815 ! 22,828 8,384 682 270 775 467 13,104 315 31 348 1933 .. 190 j 1,760 j 24,596 8,542 670 320 1,222 729 384 5 4 41 1934 .. 125 j 961 j 28,393 10,006 308 130 920 492 5 137 81 13 273 1935 .. 316 I 2,031 1 22,714 8,620 162 78 1,769 756 7 593 77 40 360 1936 .. 662 7,077 35,701 13,744 93 80 880 384 3 >,8.3 35 94 1 464 1937 .. 728 | 10,825 26,709 10,283 167 92 694 254 261 4 123 1*451 1938 .. 395 I 3,500 j 18,656 6,503 j 436 400 • 1,043 483 3,679 53 318 3371 ii| '