PRICE OF SAMOAN COPRA.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 233, 2 October 1929, Page 10

PRICE OF SAMOAN COPRA.

BRITISH AND AMERICAN.

TWO RATES COMPARED,

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Eeporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

The prices paid to the natives of American Samoa for their copra, as compared with the prices paid to natives of Western Samoa, are shown in a return presented to the House of Representatives. The prices are: — Western Samoa.—Upolu: Apia, *W 1/10 per ton; elsewhere, £3 l?/« Savaii: East and south-cast coast, fl 10/10; elsewhere, £0 14/0. American Samoa, 02.51 dollars-p* tOJI. It is pointed out that the prices m Western Samoa and American Samoa are not comparable without consideration and adjustment, owing to suctt differentiating factors as taxation, lighterage, market fluctuations and cost of collection. An export tax of jw per ton and lighterage at 6/ per # are payable in Western Samoa, buCnot in American Samoa, where taxation tf on a different basis and where ships.can, tie up at the wharf. Copra in African. Samoa is all contracted for qhpually, and since the letting of the contract at the beginning of this year .fjhere has been a very heavy fall (atiiPne stage some £4 per ton) in thej)H.!«Tket pne? of copra, which is reflected.in the Western Samoa price, but notwitt that of American Samoa. ..wJ ;