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Main Events of the Year The most important events of the year 1949-50 included the following : 30th May, 1949 : The Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister (Mr. A. G. Osborne, M.P.), accompanied by the Secretary of the Department of Island Territories (Mr. R. T. G. Patrick), arrived on a visit to the Territory and remained until 17th June. Ist June, 1949 : Flag-raising Day. 24th June, 1949 : Setting up of the Select Committee on Preferential Tariff. The Committee held nine meetings, and its report was adopted by the Legislative Assembly on 7th November. (See page 32 of this report.) 17th July, 1949 : H.M.N.Z.S. " Hawea," a corvette of the New Zealand Squadron, visited Western Samoa. 24th July, 1949 : H.M.N.Z.S. " Hawea " was joined by H.M.N.Z.S. " Kanieri." The former ship left the Territory on 30th July, and the " Kanieri" on the following day. 10th to 13th September, 1949 : The Governor of American Samoa and a party of his senior officials visited the Territory. 21st October, 1949 : Enactment by the New Zealand Parliament of the Samoa Amendment Act, 1949. (See page 20 of this report.) Bth November, 1949 : Members of the Public Lands Committee of the Congress of the United States paid a visit to Western Samoa. 10th November, 1949 : A Select Committee upon Currency was set up. The Committee held two meetings during the year, and is continuing its investigations. (See page 29 of this report.) 26th to 29th November, 1949 : The High Commissioner and senior officials made a return visit to American Samoa. 13th January, 1950 : The High Commissioner left the Territory for New Zealand to hold consultations with the Minister of Island Territories and senior New Zealand Government officers in Wellington. Until the return of the High Commissioner on 22nd February, Mr. C. C. Marsack, Chief Judge, acted as High Commissioner. The Director of Health (Dr. J. C. Lopdell) and the Director of Education (Mr. K. R. Lambie) also visited New Zealand to confer with the High Commissioner and New Zealand departmental officers on health and education problems. 27th March, 1950 : A Commission of Inquiry into Local Government in Western Samoa was appointed. Three sessions of the Legislative Assembly were held: 26th to 28th April, 20th June to Ist July, and from 26th October to 11th November. A list of the business transacted appears in Appendix IV. Three sessions of the Fono of Faipule were held : 3rd to 6th June, 31st August to 19th September, and 29th March to 14th April. A note of the business transacted appears on page 12. Regular meetings of the standing Committees of the Legislative Assembly were held, the Finance Committee meeting on a total of fifteen days, the Education Committee on eight days, the Health Committee on ten days, and the Public Works Committee on seven days. During the year a contract was finalized with the United Kingdom Ministry of Food covering all copra produced during a period of nine years from Ist January, 1949. Consequent upon the devaluation of sterling during the year, the exchange-rate between Samoan currency and dollar currencies was raised, and stricter dollar exchange control measures were adopted to keep the Territory's dollar imports within its dollar earnings.

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