A.—4b

Department of Agriculture. Samoa. Fiji. Tonga. £ £ £ Director .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 680 (Vacant) 460* Produce Inspector .. .. .. .. .. .. 420 300 Chief Clerk .. .. .. .. .. .. 400 300 Inspectors .. .. .. .. .. .. 710(2) 900(4) 384f Native Staff .. .. .. .. .. .. 418 Other charges .. .. .. .. .. .. 622 495 822 Entomologist .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 600 Chemist .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 525 Veterinary Officer .. .. . . .. .. . . .. 500 Mycelogist .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 575 £3,250 £4,195 £1,666 * House allowance. t Not known how many. Chinese Department. Samoa. Fiji. £ £ Commissioner .. .. .. .. .. .. 590 600f Interpreter .. .. .. .. .. .. 360* Clerk .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 300 220f Police .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 320 Other charges .. ~ .. .. .. .. 220 £1,790 for coolies. * A Chinese. f Indian section. The number of coolies in Samoa is 890 (Chinese) ; in Fiji the coolies number 969 (Chinese) ; Indian coolies, 68,136 : total, 69,105 (Indian and Chinese). Post Office and Telegraph and Telephone. Samoa. Fiji. £ £ Postmaster.. .. .. .. .. 515 700 Superintendent of Telegraphs .. .. .. 600 Clerk .. .. .. .. .. 410 400 Clerk .. .. .. .. .. 400 300 Lineman .. .. .. .. .. 400 250 Sub-Postmasters .. .. .. .. 100 658 (Provincial). Overtime .. .. .. .. .. 50 286 Samoan Staff .. .. .. .. 644 Other charges .. .. .. .. 1,101 7,470 (includes radio and telephone). Postmaster.. .. .. .. .. .. 300 (Levuka). Radio .. .. .. .. .. 4,450 280 (Lautoka —free quarters). 250 (Ba —free quarters). £8,050 £11,494 Tonga: The duties are performed by the.Customs Department. The Postmaster and clerks perform the duties in connection with telegraphs and telephone. The committee consider that no further economy is required in Samoa in connection with these Departments. The officials have responsible duties to perform. Public Works Department. £ i The total salaries paid in this Department amount to .. .. .. 4,622 0 0 Transport and travelling allowance .. .. .. .. .. .. 340 0 0 4,962 0 0 The appropriations as per estimates, 1926-27, for public improvements are .. 9,398 0 0 Printing, &c. .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 0 0 £14,400 0 0 From this it appears that a maintenance and improvement account of £9,398 (estimated) requires an expenditure in salaries for the administration of the Public Works Department of £4,962, or approximately about half the estimated sum of maintenance and improvements. The Engineer in Charge of the Public Works Department receives also the sum of££22o per annum as Chief Surveyor and Commissioner of Lands in|the Lands and Survey Department. The cost of this Department to the administration of the mandate is £2,400. The committee believe this to be a necessary expenditure in the islands.

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