A.—4

24

A small bridge at Sigamoga was destroyed by Man Natives immediately following the riot on the 28th December. As there was not a great deal of traffic across this bridge, it is not proposed to replace it. New Bridges. —A bridge was erected at Lauli'i to replace the old oregon-pine structure known as " Lauli'i No. 1," and a new bridge was built across the stream crossing the Lauli'i Deviation Road. Buildings. New works have been the new Radio-station buildings, and the installation of a new soak-pit drainage system at Apia Hospital. The usual repairs and maintenance have been effected. Water-supplies. Apia Water-supply. —During a flood in February the main crossing the Vaisigano River was carried away in two places. Two 60 ft. lengths of pipe were required to repair the damage. Repairs have been effected to the Afega and Fagamalo supplies. ENGINEERING AND TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT. This Department, which had been instituted to provide engineering and transport services for both the Administration and the New Zealand Reparation Estates, but as a branch and at the cost of the latter, was taken over by the Administration as from the Ist August, 1929. One of the principal reasons necessitating the change was that approximately 80 per cent, of the capital expenditure invested in the Department was incurred in installing hydro-electric power for Apia in 1928, and it was considered that this and other public services were more the responsibility of the Administration than of the Estates. The amount to be paid to the Estates on account of the transfer has not been finally assessed yet, but it will be in the neighbourhood of £24,000. There will be no recourse to loan funds in meeting this expenditure. In addition to the hydro-electric installation, which has made available throughout the Township of Apia the benefits of electric light and power, the Department provides transport and engineering services for the Administration and the Reparation Estates, and also undertakes the management of an ice-works and cool store which became the property of the Estates under the Treaty of Versailles. APIA OBSERVATORY. (Note. —The Observatory is not owned or maintained by the Samoan Administration, but is a branch in Samoa of the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the institution having become the property of the New Zealand Government under the New Zealand Reparation Estates Order, 1920. In view of the wide interest in the activities of the Observatory, however, and the peculiar value of its observations as coming from an area from which there is little other geophysical data, a report by the Director is included in the annual reports of the Administration for general information.) The Apia Observatory has continued during 1929 its programme of observation in terrestrial magnetism, seismology, and meteorology. In July, 1928, the control of the Observatory was transferred from the New Zealand Department of External Affairs to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The fundamental purpose for which the Observatory was established was to observe, measure, and record with the highest attainable accuracy the various physical elements affecting the earth and atmosphere at an isolated station in the South Pacific Ocean. During the year, although the staff was depleted, most of the essential records were secured, and the founders' high purpose was fully maintained. The visit in April of the non-magnetic research yacht " Carnegie " afforded an opportunity for the intercomparison of instruments and the discussion of observations and technique. During her second visit, in November, the " Carnegie " was totally destroyed by explosion and fire in the Apia Harbour. The death of Captain J. P. Ault and the destruction of the world-famed research vessel was felt by the staff as a great personal loss. Terbestrial Magnetism. Continuous photographic records were obtained throughout the year of the changes in the declination and horizontal force of the earth's magnetic field. Owing to failure of instruments, the values of vertical intensity are obtainable only from July to December. The mean values of the magnetic elements, the so-called " all-days value " for the past three years are given below.

The Observatory's magnetic standards were intercompared with those of the yacht " Carnegie.'" It was satisfactory to find that they had altered only very slightly since last compared in 1921.

1927. 1028. 1929. Declination .. .. .. 10° 29-5' 10° 32-1' 10° 33-5' Horizontal force .. . . 35223 gammas j 35225 gammas 35209 gammas Vertical intensity . . .. .. j 20408 gammas* 20418 gamma ,f * Five months. f Six months.