A—3

60. Trade and Shipping Niue is a port of call for two vessels maintaining a shipping service between New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, and Fiji. For this and economic and political reasons practically all the trade of the island is directed to New Zealand, apart from normal inter-island trade on the shipping route. There were fifteen shipping calls during the year ended 31st December, 1947, including eleven calls by regular cargo and passenger vessels. Except for the period February to May, a more or less regular service was maintained by the N.Z.Gr.M.V. " Maui Pomare" and the Union Steam Ship Co.'s m.v. " Matua." Exclusive of parcel-mail, inward cargo handled at the port of Alofi totalled 1,216 tons and outward cargo 795 tons. In addition, 2,119 bags of parcel-mail containing Native plaited ware were shipped. The average cargo handled on each call showed an increase over the previous year. Ninety-eight passengers disembarked and 172 embarked, both exceeding the previous year's figures. H.M.N.Z.S. " Arbutus " visited Niue on 2nd and 3rd June, 1947. A suitable programme of entertainment was arranged for the officers and men. Both imports and exports reached a record level in 1947. The largest contributing factor was the high price of copra, which was again increased during the year. Comparative statistics for the last five years are as follows :

Quantities and Values of Principal Exports

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Country of Origin. 1943. 1944. 1945. 1946. 1947. New Zealand Australia United Kingdom United States of America Western Samoa Other Imports Values £ £ 29,881 25,140 223 871 115 2,453 1,692 181 140 1,106 19 303 £ 23,620 251 2,935 10 116 40 £ 37,984 643 6,503 730 21 796* £ 52,290 1,485 1,721 1,074 2,226f Totals 32,070 30,054 26,972 46,677 58,796 New Zealand Australia Western Samoa Other Exports Values 29,908 21,909 298 1,307 527 35 27,674 1,662 132 29,721 6,142 10 42,266 2,926 399 Totals 30,733 23,251 29,468 35,873 45,591 * Includ es India, £585. t Includes Rarotonga, *1,070.

Item. 1943. 1944. 1945. Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Copra 422 Cases. 8,543 617 Cases. 13,272 415 Cases. 9,986 Bananas 15,473 Tons. 8,049 1,200 626 7,662 Tons. 4,141 Kumar&s 113 1,363 10 141 Native plaited ware .. 12,692 8,977 14,683