A.—6,

The principal items of imports for the year 1939 were as follow : —

Summary. £ £ New Zealand .. .. .. 12,534 New Hebrides .. .. .. 1 Western Samoa .. . . 205 Germany . . . . .. 12 United Kingdom .. .. 806 Japan .. . . .. . . 222 Australia . . . . . . 310 Portugal . . .. . . 3 Canada .. . . .. 157 Spain . . . . .. .. 4 Ceylon .. . . . . 5 United States of America .. 792 Fiji .. .. .. 191 American Samoa, .. . . 4 Hong Kong . . .. . . 2 India . . .. . . . . 100 Tonga .. .. . . 2 China .. .. .. .. 68 Total .. .. £15,459 France . . .. .. 41 =

The total trade of the Island for the last ten years is set out in the following table:—

Native Affairs. The Natives have many difficulties in maintaining their food-supply owing to the lack of soil, their primitive agricultural methods, and the many periods of very dry weather. This last not only affects their food stocks, but also causes a shortage in water-supplies.

2

Article. Value. Article. Value. £ £ Arms, ammunition, &c. .. .. 188 Paints and varnishes .. .. 247 Bags and sacks .. . . .. 257 Provisions— Cement .. .. .. 496 Biscuits .. .. .. 895 Confectionery .. . . .. 201 Fish, preserved .. . . 143 Drapery — " Flour .. .. . . 175 Apparel n.e.i. .. .. .. 499 Meats, preserved and salted .. 1,081 Cotton piece-goods .. .. 1,017 Milk, preserved .. .. 220 Drapery n.e.i. .. .. .. 75 Provisions n.e.i. .. .. 610 Drugs n.e.i. .. .. .. 488 Rice .. .. .. 182 Fancy goods n.e.i. .. .. 159 Sugar .. .. .. 194 Hardware . . .. .. 271 Soap .. . . .. .. 342 Instruments, musical .. .. 11 Timber, sawn .. .. .. 604 Iron, galvanized, corrugated, roofing, Timber, shooks .. .. .. 1,132 &c. .. .. .. .. 424 Tobacco .. .. .. 1,338 Iron pipes .. .. .. 44 Miscellaneous .. .. .. 2,871 Motor-vehicles and bicycles .. 602 Oil, benzine, and kerosene .. .. 602 Total .. .. 15,459 N.e.i. .. .. .. 91 T-γ-1 -

Year. Imports. Exports. Total Trade. £ £ £ 1930 .. .. .. .. 18,630 15,877 34,507 1931 .. .. .. .. 11,507 7,191 18,698 1932 .. .. .. .. 14,756 13,987 28,743 1933 .. .. .. .. 13,123 11,542 24,665 1934 .. 13,372 12,341 25,713 1935 .. .. .. .. 15,288 12,076 27,364 1936 .. .. .. .. 24,662 22,992 47,654 1937 .. .. .. .. 29,309 23,321 52,630 1938 .. 16,380 15,045 31,425 1939 .. .. .. .. 15,459 11,554 27,013