POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 23353, 24 August 1939, Page 8

POLITICAL POINTS

SAMOA ADMINISTRATION STORM DAMAGE COSTS [Fkom Ouk Pakuambntauy COKRKSI'ONDEXTj WELLINGTON, August 23. Between the Samoan Administration and the natives, and with other sections of the community continued harmonious relations exist, states the annual report on the Samoa Mandated Territory. The position in relation to the Mau organisation remains unchanged. Accounts show an excess of revenue over expenditure of £4,37.0, but the Acting Administrator points out that in January extraordinary rainfall, accompanying iioodfe and high seas, caused extensive damage to road communications, hydro-electric plant, and waterworks, as well as Government and private plantations, the cocoa crop being completely ruined, with no prospect of cropping for another six months. Several steel and concrete bridges were swept away, and numerous landslides and washouts occurred throughout the group. The damage to public services and plantations is estimated at £40,000. and as the current revenue is not sufficient to meet the restoration of transport communications, it will be necessary to use reserve funds to meet the extra expenditure. The loss through storm damage to the cocoa planters, coupled with continued low prices obtaining for the past 15 months, will necessitate continuation of the relief measures granted! these planters last year in the way of remission of rent by the New Zealand Reparation Estates as lessors, and interest charges by the New Zealand Reparation Estates and mercantile firms.

The Cook Islands revenue foi the year amounted to £48,966 and the expenditure to £58,010, including capital, expenditure of £2,455, leaving a deficit. MR JORDAN DEFENDED. Defending the High Commissioner for Now Zealand from what he called carping criticism, and unfair and ungenerous references during the Financial Debate, the Acting Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) declared that all those who came into contact with Mr Jordan admired the way in which on every occasion ho raised his voice for open diplomacy, for democracy, and for human brotherhood on the floor of the Assembly of the League of Nations. “ He spoke for the Government and for every member of the Government Party.” added l Air Fraser. “He did so ably and well. We know from a hundred sources that he won the respect and admiration of a vast majority of the delegates who went to Geneva. I never felt prouder of our High Commissioner than when he stood in that Assembly of the League of Nations and voiced the essence of the principles of democracy.” COST OF STATE HOUSES. Details of the cost of building State houses were given in the House by the Acting Prime Minister. Air Fraser, when replying., ‘‘The Opposition has been criticising the housing scheme’, and

has left ah impression that there fa something to conceal,” he said. That was not so. The cost of a four-roomed house was £929, a five-roomed house £1,050, a six-roomed house £1,130. Mr Fraser said some houses had been constructed at a higher cost, but bo was giving the average amount. Ho hoped that the member for Riccarton would be satisfied with the information. . Mr Kyle : Give us the whole cost. The Minister; I have given the cost of the buildings. I do not see'any reason why you should not be given the cost of the sections. I have no doubt the Minister of Housing will be pleased to supply details. Members of this House are entitled to know the cost. This Government does not hide anything of that description. Opposition Voices: Oh, oh. BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY. The possibility of establishing the beet sugar industry in New Zealand was the subject of a recent question to Mr Sullivan, Minister of Industries and Commerce, by Mr Cullen (Hawke’s Bay), who took the opportunity of reminding the Minister that experiments had established the fact that the sugar yield in Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa had been high. The test crops, replied the Minister, had given promising results. An intensive investigation into factory production of sima r from beets had covered the whole scope of the industry, and the relations of conditions overseas to those prevailing in New Zealand and had proved highly encouraging. A survey had also been made of .potential growing areas, and the Government considered that the possibility of establishing the industry in the Dominion was of considerable importance in view of its great value to agriculture and the fact that sugar was now imported from foreign countries. Mr T. M. Hayek, of the Irish Sugar Company Ltd., would visit New Zealand and report fully on the position. “Mr Hayek,” adds the Minister, “ is a recognised European authority on. the beet sugar industry. After his report has been received, the Government will be in a position to make a decision whether or not we can establish a factory mien an economic basis, and thus produce a portion of our own requirement* of sugar.”.