NIUE ISLAND ADMINISTRATION.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1940 Session I, A-06

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1940. NEW ZEALAND.

NIUE ISLAND ADMINISTRATION.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

REPORT ON THE NIUE ISLAND ADMINISTRATION, 1939-40. Visit. Accompanied by Lady Galway, His Excellency the Governor-General paid a visit to Niue in August, 1939. Finance. The revenue for the financial year ended 31st March, 1940, was £7,341 12s. 2d. and the expenditure £13,429 10s. 9d., leaving a deficit of £6,087 18s. 7d., which was met from the Reserve Fund. The Revenue Account and Balance-sheet are printed on page 4. Tkadk Imports for the calendar year 1939 totalled £15,459 and exports £11,554, a total trade value of £27,013, as compared with £31,425 for the previous year. The fall is accounted for by the decreased, shipping facilities during the year. Bananas. —A total of 16,481 cases, valued at £6,579, was shipped, the figures for 1938 being 18,656 cases and £6,503 respectively. Copra. —Owing to the low price, the production was small and for the first time no copra was shipped. Kumeras. —One hundred and twenty-three tons, valued at £2,529, were shipped. Baskets. —The sale of baskets has increased considerably, 1,736 dozen, valued at £1,510, being shipped, compared with 436 dozen, valued at £400, in 1938." Hats. —Altogether 1,042 dozen, valued at £568, were shipped, as compared with 1,043 dozen, valued at £483, last year. The following table shows the quantities and values of the principal exports for the last ten years.

1940. NEW ZEALAND. NIUE ISLAND ADMINISTRATION. Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. REPORT ON THE NIUE ISLAND ADMINISTRATION, 1939-40. Visit. Accompanied by Lady Gal way, His Excellency the Governor-General paid a visit to Niue in August, 1939. Finance. The revenue for the financial year ended 31st March, 1940, was £7,341 12s. 2d. and the expenditure £13,429 10s. 9d., leaving a deficit of £6,087 18s. 7d., which was met from the Reserve Fund. The Revenue Account and Balance-sheet are printed on page 4. Trade. Imports for the calendar year 1939 totalled £15,459 and exports £11,554, a total trade value of £27,013, as compared with £31,425 for the previous year. The fall is accounted for by the decreased shipping facilities during the year. Bananas.—A total of 16,481 cases, valued at £6,579, was shipped, the figures for 1938 being 18,656 cases and £6,503 respectively. Copra.—Owing to the low price, the production was small and for the first time no copra was shipped. Kumeras.—One hundred and twenty-three tons, valued at £2,529, were shipped. Baskets. —The sale of baskets has increased considerably, 1,736 dozen, valued at £1,510, being shipped, compared with 436 dozen, valued at £400, in 1938. Hats.- —Altogether 1,042 dozen, valued at £568, were shipped, as compared with 1,043 dozen, valued at £483, last year. The following table shows the quantities and values of the principal exports for the last ten years. Copra. | Bananas. I Kumeras. Baskets. Hats. Fungus. Year. . , . tlty"' Value - Quantity. Value Value. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. j Tons. £ Cases. £ Tods. £ Dozens. £ Dozens. £ lb. £ 1930 .. [ 335 3,382 21,456 9,787 .. .. 1,012 660 1,214 810 5,694 183 1931 .. 204 2,269 8,703 3,590 15 278 801 480 271 185 3,789 151 1932 .. 366 3,815 22,828 8,384 31 348 682 270 775 467 13,104 315 1933 .. 190 1,760 24,596 8,542 4 41 670 320 1,222 729 384 5 1934 .. 125 961 28,393 10,006 13 273 308 130 920 492 5,137 81 1935 .. 316 2,031 22,714 8,620 40 360 162 78 1,769 756 7,593 77 1936 .. 662 7,077 35,701 13,744 94 1,464 93 80 880 384 3,583 35 1937 .. 728 10,825 26,709 10,283 123 1,451 167 92 694 254 261 4 1938 .. 395 3,500 18,656 6,503 318 3,371 436 400 1,043 483 3 679 53 1939 .. Nil Nil 16,481 6,579 123 2,529 1,736 1,510 1,042 568 652 3

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The principal items of imports for the year 1939 were as follow : —

Summary. £ £ New Zealand .. .. .. 12,534 New Hebrides .. .. .. 1 Western Samoa .. . . 205 Germany . . . . .. 12 United Kingdom .. .. 806 Japan .. . . .. . . 222 Australia . . . . . . 310 Portugal . . .. . . 3 Canada .. . . .. 157 Spain . . . . .. .. 4 Ceylon .. . . . . 5 United States of America .. 792 Fiji .. .. .. 191 American Samoa, .. . . 4 Hong Kong . . .. . . 2 India . . .. . . . . 100 Tonga .. .. . . 2 China .. .. .. .. 68 Total .. .. £15,459 France . . .. .. 41 =

The total trade of the Island for the last ten years is set out in the following table:—

Native Affairs. The Natives have many difficulties in maintaining their food-supply owing to the lack of soil, their primitive agricultural methods, and the many periods of very dry weather. This last not only affects their food stocks, but also causes a shortage in water-supplies.

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Article. Value. Article. Value. £ £ Arms, ammunition, &c. .. .. 188 Paints and varnishes .. .. 247 Bags and sacks .. . . .. 257 Provisions— Cement .. .. .. 496 Biscuits .. .. .. 895 Confectionery .. . . .. 201 Fish, preserved .. . . 143 Drapery — " Flour .. .. . . 175 Apparel n.e.i. .. .. .. 499 Meats, preserved and salted .. 1,081 Cotton piece-goods .. .. 1,017 Milk, preserved .. .. 220 Drapery n.e.i. .. .. .. 75 Provisions n.e.i. .. .. 610 Drugs n.e.i. .. .. .. 488 Rice .. .. .. 182 Fancy goods n.e.i. .. .. 159 Sugar .. .. .. 194 Hardware . . .. .. 271 Soap .. . . .. .. 342 Instruments, musical .. .. 11 Timber, sawn .. .. .. 604 Iron, galvanized, corrugated, roofing, Timber, shooks .. .. .. 1,132 &c. .. .. .. .. 424 Tobacco .. .. .. 1,338 Iron pipes .. .. .. 44 Miscellaneous .. .. .. 2,871 Motor-vehicles and bicycles .. 602 Oil, benzine, and kerosene .. .. 602 Total .. .. 15,459 N.e.i. .. .. .. 91 T-γ-1 -

Year. Imports. Exports. Total Trade. £ £ £ 1930 .. .. .. .. 18,630 15,877 34,507 1931 .. .. .. .. 11,507 7,191 18,698 1932 .. .. .. .. 14,756 13,987 28,743 1933 .. .. .. .. 13,123 11,542 24,665 1934 .. 13,372 12,341 25,713 1935 .. .. .. .. 15,288 12,076 27,364 1936 .. .. .. .. 24,662 22,992 47,654 1937 .. .. .. .. 29,309 23,321 52,630 1938 .. 16,380 15,045 31,425 1939 .. .. .. .. 15,459 11,554 27,013

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Medical and Public Health. The health of the Natives has been good, and the medical services have functioned in a verysatisfactory manner. The following is a summary of the work performed at the hospital:— (1) Infectious Diseases (3) Hospital and Dispensary—continued. (а) Tuberculosis .. .. 3 Daily average bed state .. 7-21 (б) Gonorrhoea .. .. 8 District out-patients .. .. 10,287 (c) Yaws .. .. .. 1,485 Dispensary out-patients .. 3,533 (d) Pneumonia and broncho- Special visits .. .. .. 1,034 pneumonia .. .. 3 Special district visits .. .. 816 (e) Conjunctivitis .. .. 187 In-patient dressings .. .. 3,503 (/) Ringworm .. .. 109 Out-patient dressings .. .. 15,564 (fir) Varicella .. .. .. 3 Operations— (2) Endemic Diseases — Major (a) Filariasis .. .. . . 69 Minor .. . . .. 30 (b) Myositis tropica .. .. 7 Dental extractions .. .. 123 (3) Hospital and Dispensary— Injections— Remaining in hospital, 31st NAB, Bisoxyl, Myosalvarsan December, 1938 .. .. 5 and Kharsulphan .. 4,165 Admitted during year .. . . 105 Mixed staphylococcal and Discharged during year .. 98 common cold vaccines .. 33 Died in hospital during year .. 3 Confinements .. .. .. 5 Remaining in hospital, 31st AnaestheticsDecember, 1939 .. .. 9 General .. .. .. 9 Average number of days in hospital Local .. .. 13 per patient .. .. 27 -92 j During the year the schools were visited by the Chief Medical Officer and his staff and NAB injections were given. A house-to-house inspection in all villages was carried out during the year with excellent results. Education. The Department has functioned very satisfactorily. lhe most important event during the year was the opening of an Administration school at Mutalau, where there are now 170 pupils. The Natives have asked for Administration schools in other villages, and it is hoped that when funds permit their wishes will be granted. The average roll strength of the three Administration schools is 550, with an average attendance of 94 per cent. The technical school, handicraft, and sewing classes have shown good results during the year. The London Missionary Society has nine schools in villages where there are no Administration schools and is a very great help in the educational work. These schools have a roll strength of 440 pupils. Public Works and Transport. The training of Niue youths in these Departments is now showing results, and the knowledge they have gained will be of great advantage to the Administration in future years. Roads. These are now in a fairly satisfactory state, and as a consequence breakdowns in motor-vehicles are not so frequent as formerly. Roadwork is still being carried on as funds permit. Water-supply.—As there are no rivers or creeks, the only water-supply is from rain, which is directed into concrete tanks, the number of which has been considerably increased during the year. Agriculture. Gradual improvements are observed in the methods employed by the Natives in cultivating their plantations and raising pigs and poultry, which are their main meat-supply. High Court and Native Land Court. No serious offences have occurred during the year. The High Court has dealt with 717 cases, the Civil Court with 13, the Juvenile Court with 12, and the Native Land Court with 24 cases! There are still very many land disputes to be settled. Island Council. The thirteen Native Councillors advise the Resident Commissioner on Native matters and meet in Council quarterly. They also maintain continuous contact with the Resident Commissioner in all matters concerning their villages. Legislation. No new laws have been enacted in Niue during the year. Wireless. During the year 362 inward messages, containing 6,408 words, were received, and 399 outward messages, containing 7,892 words, were despatched.

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Meteorological. The total rainfall for the year was 90-33 in. Vital Statistics. The resident Native population was 4,281 at the end of 1939, a net increase of 5 on the previous year's total. Births, 148 ; deaths, 77. The natural increase was 71, but the excess of departures —66 —over arrivals has reduced the net total increase to 5.

Population Table.

ADMINISTRATION OF NIUE. Revenue Account for the Year ended 31st March, 1940. Expenditure. Revenue. £ s. d. £ s. d. Administration .. .. .. 1,089 4 6 Administration .. .. .. 0 0 5 Agriculture .. .. .. .. •• 319 11 1 Agriculture .. .. .. •• •• 903 13 4 Education .. .. .. .. •• 2,009 9 5 Education .. .. •• •• 93 1 1 Health .. .. •• •• 2,751 13 10 Justice .. .. .. •• 1®" 3 6 Justice (including Police) .. .. .. 738 011 Post-office, &c. .. •. •• •• 393 17 1 Post-office, Wireless, &c. .. .. .. 786 8 8 Public Works Department stock .. .. 507 4 11 Public Works Department .. .. .. 2,645 4 7 Transport .. .. .. .. !,«« • l > Transport 907 5 8 Treasury 3,773 18 5 Treasury .. .. .. • - • • 745 13 8 11,992 12 4 7,341 12 2 Depreciation .. .. •• •• 1,436 18 5 Excess of expenditure over revenue .. .. 6,087 18 7 £13,429 10 9 £13,429 10 9 Balance-sheet as at 31st March, 1940. Liabilities. Assets. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Accumulated funds .. .. 22,991 1 11 Boats .. .. .. 237 10 4 Less excess of expenditure over Buildings .. .. .. 10,0b9 10 b income .. .. .. 6,087 18 7 Equipment, medical .. .. 255 17 5 16,903 3 4 Furniture, household .. .. 1,493 16 6 Reserve funds .. .. .. 13,206 0 0 Land .. .. .. 1,361 0 0 Sundry creditors .. .. .. 29 8 0 Motor-vehicles.. .. .. 894 3 7 Office furniture, &c. .. . . 610 14 9 Plant and tools .. .. 951 6 3 Plant, &c., wireless .. .. 1,720 9 4 Jetty .. .. . ■ 256 1 11 Reservoirs .. .. .. 2,411 18 11 20,862 9 6 Suspense Account: "Maui Pomare" .. .. .. .. 245 11 4 Sundry debtors .. .. •• I®9 19 11 Stock on hand .. .. •• 5,621 13 8 Reserve Bank, Wellington .. .. 2,430 14 6 Treasury, Niue: Cash .. .. 818 2 5 £30,138 11 4 £30,138 11 4

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (510 eopies), £6.

By Authority : E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington. —1940.

Price 3d.~\

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Population at Births during Deaths during Arrivals during Departures Population at 1st January, 1939. 1939. 1939. 1939. during 1939. 31st December, 1939. M. F. I Total. M. F. Total. M. j F. Total M. F. Total M. F. Total M. F. Total. I i 2,098 2,178 4,276 89 59 148 41 36 77 14- 14 28 54 40 94 2,106 2,175 [4,281 J