Western Samoa

Te Ao Hou, June 1968, Page 52

Western Samoa Western Samoa consists of two main islands—Savaii with 660 square miles, and Upolo of 430 square miles. There is also the adjoining island of American Samoa with a smaller population and relying very heavily indeed on American finance for its survival. For the year ended December 1967, trade in Western Samoa consisted of exports worth $3,139,000—while imports amounted to $5,535,400. When New Zealand took Western Samoa from the Germans in 1914, the population was, as I previously mentioned, about 32,000. The economy was largely based on copra and cocoa and excellent plantations existed, administered by large German firms. New Zealand held Western Samoa under a mandate from, originally the League of Nations, and then the United Nations for a period of years until 1960 when the country was granted full independence. But under a treaty of friendship with New Zealand, the two countries were forged very closely together indeed. However, unfortunately, the copra plantations in Samoa are becoming old and it is only in the last few years that any great effort has been made to replace the old plantations and to establish new ones. The external trade of Western Samoa is mainly still based on three commodities— copra, cocoa and bananas, but the production of bananas has suffered a very severe setback through the hurricane of 1966 and

through the incidence of various banana diseases in the territory. There are very few jobs for people in Samoa apart from agricultural jobs, and a few years ago, from a census taken, it was apparent that only about 6,000 people out of a population of 130,000 were employed in pursuits other than in agriculture. Religion plays a tremendous part in the lives of the Samoan people. I would imagine that there would not be in the world a population so consistently God-fearing as the Samoans. Through the difficulties of land tenure, the difficulties of finding markets for the goods that can be produced in Samoa, this country will have serious financial difficulties in the future, despite the fact that a large American concern has now procured forestry rights on the island of Savaii, the revenue from which rights should assist the country very considerably indeed. New Zealand is giving considerable aid, particularly to the Cook Islands, the Tokelaus and Niue, and in direct aid for 1968 the following is proposed: Cook Islands $2,000,000 Niue $900,000 (Mainly for administrative facilities, capital works, and loans in aid of the economic development plan and principally aimed at the rehabilitation of the Niue coconut industry and the associated development of grassland farming.) Tokelau $160,000 (Plus a further amount of $21,000 on account of devaluation.) Western Samoa $400.000 So that in 1968, New Zealand aid will have amounted to, in Niue, $170 per head of population, and in the Cook Islands, $100 per head of population.