A.—4
18
Eggs.
CUSTOMS AND MARINE (INCLUDING HARBOURMASTER'S DEPARTMENT). The revenue collected by this Department at Apia, the only port of entry in Western Samoa, during the financial year ended 31st March, 1921, amounted to £104,632 14s. 10d., made up as follows: — £ s. d. Customs import duties .. .. .. .. .. 78,322 4 3 Customs export duties .. .. .. .. .. 9,563 8 0 Shipping fees .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,027 14 3 Lighterage and stevedoring sundries .. .. .. .. 8,290 13 10 Transhipment, storage, and bond fees .. .. .. .. 368 14 5 Taxes .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,372 2 6 Native travelling-passes .. .. .. .. .. 77 12 0 Other receipts .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,610 5 7 Total receipts .. .. .. .. ..£104,632 14 10 The following revenue was collected during tho preceding five years : 1915-16, £42,402 os. lid. ; 1916-17, £41,057 9s. 5d.; 1917-18, £60,196 lis. 9d.; 1918-19, £49,153 3s. 9d. ; 1919-20, £58,791 19s. lid. It will thus be seen that the year under review has been a record one so far as receipts are concerned. This was contributed to by the very high prices realized for island produce in the earlier part of the year, and the heavy importations of goods at inflated prices. The following figures show the value of imports and exports for the year ending 31st March last and the previous five years : — Imports. Exports. Total Trade. £ £ £ 1915 .. .. .. .. .. 267,091 262,389 529,480 1916 .. .. .. .. .. 180,340 235,415 415,755 191.7 .. .. .. .. .. 301,173 320,444 621,617 1918 .. .. .. .. .. 309,396 306,640 616,036 1919 .. .. .. .. .. 291,368 532,500 823,868 1920 .. .. .. .. .. 561,153 386,587 947,740 In reporting on the work of his Department for the year under review the Collector of Customs says : — " The Harbourmaster is responsible for the launches, lighters, beacons, buoys, coastal shipping, examinations of masters and engineers, and kindred technical matters, and no doubt will report upon same in due course. Accounts in connection with his work are issued and collected in the Customs long-room. " Taxation. —The Customs Department collects all taxes. Steps are being taken to make use of the newly appointed Resident Commissioners to obviate tho need for Customs officers touring the islands to collect taxes. " Lighterage. —This was taken over from tho Harbourmaster on the Ist July, 1920, but was found to be an onerous undertaking owing to labour troubles, claims for damage to goods, and the difficulty of efficient supervision. A. satisfactory arrangement dating from the Ist March, 1921, was effected with a local syndicate to take over the lightering and to lease the import and export sheds, bond, and seven lighters. " Staff. —As a result, considerable, reduction in staff has been possible, and the present organization of Collector, Examining Officer, First Clerk, Clerk, Taxation Clerk, and messenger is quite adequate for the work. " Smuggling. —Several ingenious attempts at introducing opium have been frustrated, but the nearness of Fiji, where opium is sold freely, makes detection a difficult matter. Steps are at present being taken, in conjunction with the Police Department, to effect a more complete patrol of the
Month. Aana. Tuamasaga. Atua. Aleipata. Falealili. I Safata. April May.. June July.. August September October November December 10,918 12,155 6,754 14,116 11,663 6,180 7,481 7,387 5,435 6,960 5,302 5,249 9,560 18,113 14,987 15,671 20,601 15,987 12,166 16,596 12,432 14,391 8,978 8,173 3,376 3,443 3,055 3,641. 3,218 2,335 3,027 2,307 1,573 3,868 1,866 1,843 1,429 1,983 1,737 2,069 3,031 1,638 1,731 2,730 2,908 2,711 1,528 2,541 3,163 3,067 3,127 4,081 4,784 3,439 4,298 4,799 1,300 4,032 1,869 1,883 2,159 4,101 2,218 2,311 3,386 2,500 4,467 4,647 2,91.7 6,525 4,078 3,597 January February March Totals 99,000 167,655 33,552 26,036 39,842 42,906 Total eggs ;, 409,591.