17

A.—4.

" The work in connection with the land-cleaning competition proved to have been of a highly satisfactory character, resulting in the cleaning-up of approximately 12,760 acres, comparing very favourably with that accomplished by the previous competition, hold in 1.918. The results, together with my remarks thereon, will shortly be printed in the Savaii. " On a general review of the situation derived from my observations on this latest tour I am enabled confidently to reaffirm the assurance tendered in my reports covering the last two years. As month after month elapses it becomes increasingly evident that we have the pest well in hand. The position is, in fact, progressively satisfactory, and must continue thus so long as the principle of clean cultivation is consistently observed. As I have previously reported, there are whole districts now where little traces of the beetle can be seen—notably Aleipata and Fagaloa —while in other districts, where subsequent to the epidemic and the consequent suspension of searching and cleaning-up operations the beetle for a time was again making headway, the temporary set-back has been more than retrieved, and the situation now is more satisfactory than ever. In particular I may specify in support of this statement the Aana district, and also the stretch of road between Lefaga and Saleaula and the last-mentioned place and Saanapu, in regard to the unsatisfactory state of which His Excellency the Administrator drew, my attention on the occasion of his last visit there some months ago. The people of two villages were concentrated in cleaning it up, and, as always happens, the beetle yielded to this treatment, and the place now manifests an undoubted improvement. I have no apprehensions regarding the future. The Natives now thoroughly understand what is expected of them, and I do not anticipate any trouble in keeping them up to the mark in the work of beetlesuppression." Beetle Returns for Upolu. European. Beetles, larvae, and eggs collected on European plantations in Upolu for the year Ist April, 1920 to 31st March, 1921 : Beetles, 73,789 ; larva?, 658,000 ; eggs, 45,644. For the previous year, Ist April, 1919, to 31st March, 1920, the numbers were—Beetles, 53,614; larvae, 629,064 ; eggs, 34,548. Native. Year April, 1920, to March, 1921 : Beetles, 230,172 ; larvae, 2,955,329 ; eggs, 409,591. Year April, 1919, to March, 1920 : Beetles, 263,437 ; larvae, 2,422,792 ; eggs, 298,140.

Native Plantations. —Statement of Beetles, Larvæ, and Eggs collected in Upolu during the Months April, 1920, to March, 1921. Beetles.

3—A. 4.

Month. Aana. Tuamasaga. Atua. Aleipata. Falealili: Safata. April May. . June July August September October November December January February March 6,14 9,68 4,70 5,02 5,67 3,48 3,20 3,53 3,00 3,74 2,98 2,39 6,14-0 9,682 4,709 5,026 5,670 3,481 3,268 3,539 3,062 3,749 2,981 2,394 14,394 12,272 9,593 10,878 10,690 7,393 5,616 7,022 6,279 7,305 6,130 4,834 1,300 2,014 1,915 2,619 1,458 1,086 1,115 957 589 805 670 693 990 1,587 1,409 1,410 1,634 995 1,300 1,379 1,296 1,243 749 936 1,848 1,568 1,344 1,684 1,108 1,266 1,14-4 1,314 1,004 1,608 707 089 1,806 2,417 1,936 2,134 2,134 1,485 2,769 3,032 2,331 2,912 1,965 2,579 Totals 53,70 53,701 102,406 16,221 15,000 15,344 27,500 Total beet] .es, 230,172. Lar vce. Month. Aana. • Tuamasaga. Atua. Aleipata. Falealili. Safata,. April May.. June July.. August SeptemberOctober November December 93,043 124,312 74,636 65,548 64,717 39,046 48,069 59,841 47,168 60,854 71,308 55,995 75,204 85,750 77,034 91,045 88,701 08,021 75,798 74,335 51,783 56,473 30,430 34,821 29,980 20,522 25,217 37,210 54,410 18,970 24,880 20,594 14,987 10,438 11,190 11,955 20,448 32,955 33,056 28,701 34,244 18,260 33,601 35,190 29,799 33,708 23,472 26,370 22,221 24,804 22,549 27,007 18,748 20,727 19,030 22,298 10,400 17,873 12,089 16,158 30,200 36,548 25,346 25,792 29,100 23,086 58,804 44,453 44,042 52,434 37,094 42,507 January February March Totals 805,137 810,121 292,359 356,404 241,236 450,072 Total larva), 2,955,329.