A.—4

High Court, Apia. Criminal cases for the year ended 31st March, 1931 : Sitting days, 235 ; persons charged, 1,063 ; convictions recorded, 765 ; dismissed on merits, 108 ; withdrawn by leave of Court, 190. Civil cases for the year ended 31st March, 1931 : Sitting days, 91 ; actions filed, 330 ; actions heard, 273 ; judgments given, 273 ; withdrawn or struck out by leave of Court, 57. CUSTOMS AND MARINE DEPARTMENT. The trade statistics for the calendar year 1930 show a decrease in comparison with the year 1929. The total trade is £559,870, as compared with £582,787 for the previous year, a decrease of £22,917. The principal factor for the decrease was the fall in prices of the primary products of the Territory, particularly copra. The total export of copra was 12,285 tons, valued at £166,221, as against 12,941 tons, valued at £205,330, for the year 1929. Revenue. The total amount collected by the Department in Apia during the financial year amounted to £88,216, as compared with £88,581 for the financial year 1929-30, a decrease of £365. The following are the receipts under the principal headings, showing a comparison with the year 1929-30

Note. —This return is compiled from the Cash-book of the Customs Department, and does not include licenses and taxes collected by the Resident Commissioner, Savai'i, and District Officers. During the year the ad valorem rates of import duty upon benzine, kerosene, and timbers were replaced by specific rates, and an export duty of 2s. 6d. per case on bananas was imposed. The object of the latter is to ensure to the Native growers the benefits of a combined handling of their produce, and involves no diminution in the amount received by them—namely, ss. per case. Customs Statistics. Detailed statistics dealing with the trade, commerce, and shipping of the Port of Apia for the calendar year 1930 have been published in a separate document. Graphs in reference to import and export trade are attached as Appendix C to this report, and have been prepared in rather more detail than in previous years. Imports. The total'value of imports for the calendar year 1930 was £275,355, as against £288,849 for the year 1929, a decrease of £13,494. The following table shows the countries whence imported, together with a comparison for the year 1929 :—

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| 1929-30. 1930-31. Increase. Decrease. £ £ £ £ Import duties .. .. .. .. 46,165 45,661 .. 504 Export duties— Copra .. .. .. .. .. 20,602 18,470 Cocoa .. .. .. .. .. 1,814 1,701 Rubber .. .. .. .. 837 908 Beche-de-mer Bananas .. .. .. .. • • 384 23,253 i 21,463 .. 1,790 Shipping fees .. .. • .. 2,468 2,644 176 Leases, wharfages, &c. .. .. .. 1,435 1,811 376 Taxes .. 10,402 10,627 225 Miscellaneous, including sale of medicinal liquor 4,858 6,010 1,152 Totals .. .. .. .. 88,581 88,216 1,929 2,294 Less .. .. .. .. .. ■. • • 1,929 Net decrease .. .. .. .. .. .. 365

1929. 1930. Countries. Value. j Percentage. Value. Percentage. I £ £ United Kingdom 57,650 20-0 47,183 17-1 New Zealand 78,794 27-2 81,388 29-6 Australia .. .. .. .. 62,186 21-6 58,653 21-3 United States of America .. .. 51,285 17*8 54,369 19-7 Other countries.. .. .. .. 38,934 13-4 33,762 12-3 Total .. .. .. .. 288,849 100-0 275,355 100-0