COOK AND NIUE ISLANDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22958, 13 August 1936, Page 17

COOK AND NIUE ISLANDS

FINANCIAL DETAILS

DEPARTMENT’S ANNUAL REPORT

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, August 12. The administration of the Cook Islands and Niue Island is dealt with fully in the reports for the past year, which were presented to Parliament to-day by the Prime Minister, Mr M. J. Savage. . . . The financial details in the report on the Cook Islands show that for the year ended March 31, 1936, there was an excess of expenditure over income of £135, but, taking into account the cash in hand at the beginning of the year and all the receip * and payments as well, the financial year ended with cash in hand amounting to £1468. Subsidies from the New Zealand Treasury for public health and education total £ 11,1)38, and, in addition, a subsidy of £4529 was received for hurricane reparation. The balance sheet, taking .into account the value of all the administration assets and liabilities, shows an excess amounting to £72,604. rhe trade figures given in the report show an excess of imports of £8077. The report states that,, although the price of copra had recently shown a rising tendency, the fluctuation pointed to an uncertain market. The prices paid for oranges, bananas and tomatoes last season were again low, and brought an inadequate return to the producers for the labour and expense involved in production. For the coming orange season the prospects in Rarotonga were for a rather light crop, as the trees had not fully recovered since the hurricane. In the lower group of islands the prospects were better, and there ought to be almost an average crop. In the cultivation of bananas a considerable amount of labour was involved, and it would probably be another 12 months before normal crops were available. . The section dealing with the agricultural development of the Cook Islands states: “ If the islands are to compete successfully in the commercial fruit trade with other countries more modern practices of culture and preparation for the market will no doubt have to be introduced and the present haphazard methods of production will have to be superseded eventually by laying out new plantations in conformity with modern practice.” The report dealing with Niue Island states that by observing the utmost economy during the period pf financial stringency in New Zealand it was possible for the Administration to do without the usual grant of £3500 from the New Zealand Treasury this financial year. This was the first year m which no subsidy had been granted and no subsidy was being asked for for the financial year ending March 31, 1937, the intention being to make good any deficiency from the reserve fund. The anticipated deficit of £4627 had proved to be only £2lll. The receipts for the year amounted to £15.409, which was £4328 in excess of the estimated revenue of £ll,Oßl. The payments were £ 1812 y in excess of the estimate of £15,708. ' The income and expenditure account showed an excess of expenditure over income of £1456. The imports for the calendar year 1935 totalled £ls-288 and the exports amounted to £l2,n<b. Copra exports increased considerably and there was a decrease of 5679 cases in the export of bananas.