Samoa Seeks More Aid From N.Z.

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31627, 13 March 1968, Page 16

Samoa Seeks More Aid From N.Z.

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, March 12.

New Zealand gives Western Samoa only a fraction of the aid it gives the Cook Islands and Niue on a per capita basis, according to a spokesman for the Western Samoan Prime Minister (Mr Fiame Mata’afa).

New Zealand gives the Cook Islands $BO for every islander and Niue $l2O for every one of its inhabitants, but gives Western Samoa, which depends heavily on New Zealand aid, only $2 for every inhabitant.

Mr Mata’afa will seek increased aid from New Zealand when he meets the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) tomorrow morning. Mr Mata’afa will seek a continuation of existing aid schemes, such as study scholarships to New Zealand in-service training for public servants and technical assistance and advice. He will seek monetary aid,

to enable Samoa to advance loans to private enterprise for the development and improvement of farmland and plantations. Soft loans will also be sought. Samoa is badly lacking in capital and in reserves. A budget deficit of SNZ6OO.OOO last year, an estimated drop in income this year of SNZ3OO,OOO and hurricane damage of $NZ240,000 had seriously depleted reserves and caused the diversion of SNZ3OO,OOO from economic development to recovery work Mr Mata’afa today had preliminary talks with Mr Holy oake and with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Agriculture (Mr D. J. Carter).