TRADE WITH SAMOA

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 82, 4 February 1928, Page 6

TRADE WITH SAMOA

x favourable position. BOYCOTT NOT FELT. YET. AUCKLAND, February 3. An exceptionally favourable trade balance, compared with previous years, Is revealed in statistics covering imports and exports to Weston S.aJnoi for the year ended December 31, 1927. Although the total trade is"less tha n that recorded during the previous year, exports show a'large increase, while imports have declined. The decrease in imports have affected New Zealand to a certain exteiifc. The Dominion is' responsible fbf a greater Volume of trade !, Samba tM’n any other country. Last year she sent goods valued at £88,889 to the territory, compared with £92,159 in 1(926, a decrease of £32.70. The total trade ,fbf' tMe year under review was valuat £640,347, which is £5376 below tfie flgur e for valued at £304,369, compared with ’£324,940 for 1926, a decrease of £20,5,71'.’ On the other hand, the value of experts rose by £15,195 to £335,978. Great Britain and the Dominions continued >lo provide the gVdaf&r) part of the' impbrisf During the year Samoa n produce

exported was valued at £316,851, an increase of £14,378 over the previous yegr/' Odpra tlh e most valuable v-'expbrt, 1 an’d t 1,869 tons, of the value 6f 1 £243,6Y2 / Vva’s; sent put of the territ(olyi The> operation r of rubber plantations under the direction of the Government has - already begun to show results. Uplo 1917'working of rubber was a large' industry; but from 1918 to 1924 r! Pdf : hnd top was .expoftedifr-Thp 'GbveVhmeiit then decided tof take dVer iihe' plantations, and in 1925 three tons'were exported, hnd in the following year 33 tons. Jjabt l yehkHh'e expdVts reached 158 tons, Valued at £24;:802, by far the largest' outpdt ,! rec6rded in any year. If -is estimated a ’ large trade will shortly be carried out. t It was stated by a manager of an iuc’4lahd firm', which trades extensively with Western Samoa, that no noticeable. effect had so far resulted from the: boycott of New Zealand goods which was'recently initiated by natives. Latest orders fulfilled had been as large as those sent forward last year, and it was thought there would be no appreciable decrease In shipments fo r some time. However, should the boycott continue, local Island ■ traders were fully expectant that they would feel its effects.