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SuMMABY. £ New Zealand .. .. .. .. .. 102,906 United States of America .. .. .. .. 29,209 Tahiti .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,687 Total .. .. .. .. .. £135,802

Return of Imports and Exports for the Eight Years 1915 to 1922, inclusive.

Medical and Public Health, The health of the people has been satisfactory during the 1 year, and there has been no sickness in epidemic form. In September last Dr. Alan McKenzie was appointed Assistant Medical Officer in the place of Dr. Collins, who was transferred to the charge of Niue. A scheme to train Native nurses at the local hospital is being put into operation, and it is hoped that the training given will fit them for some of the work in the outlying islands. Attached hereto are extracts from the annual report of tin; Chief Medical Officer: — Hospital. —Ninety-five patients were admitted to the Hospital during the twelve months, fiftyseven being males and thirty-eight females. The average stay in hospital was eighteen days. The operations, both major and minor, were much as in former years, as were vaccinations, inoculations, and injections. The general routine and discipline were well maintained. Some slight structural alterations and repairs were done to the main and out buildings, amongst other things being a new roof to the wash house. Stocks have been maintained up to what we consider to be the margin of safety and without keeping excessive quantities. The list of drugs looks huge, but it has to be remembered that many of them are only occasionally needed, and have been here for years, whilst others have to be kept at headquarters to be sent out as opportunity offers to the outer islands, at ten of which small dispensaries are maintained. We also see that the three schooners are kept supplied with drugs for emergencies, as they are manned by our islanders ; similar steps are taken as regards the labour islands. Rarotonga. —The health conditions on this island throughout the year have been much as usual, and there have been no epidemics of serious sickness. The number of out-patients attending the Hospital or seen at their homes, for dressings, sickness, and advice, has totalled 8,177 for the year, 7,779 being amongst the Maori and 398 amongst the European population. The heaviest months for such work were July, August, and March, with 966, 987, and 966 visits and attendances, and the lightest April, May, and February, with 4-15, 508, and 497 visits and attendances respectively. The people on this island are now living more on their plantations, and I think are working more than formerly, with good results from a health point of view. We are encouraging them in this, more particularly with the idea of combating tuberculosis and chest troubles generally, and increasing the activity of fat women, who are inclined to mat fever if kept too much in the settlements. The chief points noticeable in the various kinds of sickness during the year under review have been the numerous cases of filarial abscesses amongst adults and adolescents, and the number of cases of round worms amongst the children. One cannot help thinking that the dog is largely responsible for these t roubles, as one rarely finds them in the islands where no dogs exist. Except as a scavenger, and to a lesser degree as an article of food, the dog is useless in these islands, and would be better exterminated. Shipping. —In only one instance during the year was it necessary to take any beyond the usual precautions in regard to the carriage of infectious diseases by ships. All ships coming from outside ports are inspected. Group Islands. —All these were visited by the Medical Officers during the year with the exception of Takutea, which is not inhabited. There has been no excessive sickness-rate in any of them. Palmerslon and Northern Islands. —These were all visited by the Chief Medical Officer except Suwarrow (uninhabited) and Nassau, at which the labour is not at present taken from our islands. There has been very little sickness in any of these islands during the year. The Chief Medical Officer passed a night in the lee of Nassau, but did not land as the reef was unfavourable and there were no special signals from the shore. l'almerston, which is somewhat of a problem now owing to the inbreeding, may become more so in the future. The matter has been discussed with the Resident Commissioner, and he intends to visit the island when opportunity offers.

Year. Imports. • Exports. Total Value. 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 £ 65.5'. 10 58,478 80.061 99,632 142,925 177,911 112,974 116,726 £ 63,057 68,146 60,190 82.708 127,729 H1.697 69,301 135.802 £ 128,647 126.624 140,251 182.340 270,654 272,608 182,335 252,528