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CUSTOMS AND MARINE. Revenue — As will be soon from the accompanying tables, this totalled only £84,100, as against £107,751 for the proceeding year. The main item, Customs imports, £56,824 (previous year £79,567), is due largely to the over-importation in 1920 and consequent abnornal stocks in 1921, and to a marked extent to the falling values being reflected by an ad valorem tariff. The last quarter of the preceding year showed the beginning of the movement. The heavy drop in stevedoring and in other receipts is more apparent than real, being balanced by reduced expenditure. The " other receipts " include lighterage overtime recovered from the shipping companies, and sale of ammunition at a small advance on cost. Statistics. —The accompanying return of overseas shipping shows the shipping figures for the financial year. The statistics for tho calendar year have been already published as " Report on the Trade, Commerce, and Shipping of Western Samoa for the Calendar Year 1921." Exports. —Nearly twice as such copra was exported as in the preceding year, the sailing of the " Pacific " with 6,364 tons of copra for Denmark on the 27th January, 1922, being a great event in the history of Samoa. Landing Facilities.- Considerable improvements have been effected on the waterfront, details of which will be found under " Public Works." The export-shed and fumigating-station have been repaired, but need replacement at an early date. The bond also needs replacement. Dredging. —Owing to the silting of the channel and the waterfront, dredging is urgently needed. Benzine. —This dangerous cargo is now landed with a minimum of inconvenience and risk by an arrangement whereby each consignee is required to remove his portion as the lighters come to the wharf, irrespective of import mark. As all the case oil in each ship has so far been of the same brand, there has been no hardship to the consignee in this arrangement. Shipping. —Tho " Maota," an auxiliary motor-ketch of 28 tons register, now carries the Pago Pago mail. A regular service has also been inaugurated with Savaii. Shipping Laws. —These are very incomplete, but the Crown Law Officers have been supplied with suggestions, which they are drafting into an Ordinance. Harbourmaster. —The arrangement still holds good whereby this officer attends to all technical marine matters. All accounts go through the Customs long-room. Watermen's Boats- The passing of the Boat Traffic, Ordinance, 1921, has given the necessary control over these boats, and two prosecutions have advertised the main duties of the boatmen. Smuggling. —Aided by the cordial co-operation of the police, and by the powers conferred by the Boat Traffic and Permits Ordinances, it has been possible to tighten the control over the waterfront. Tho policy of stationing an officer on the gangway of the mail-steamers has proved an effective deterrent to liquor-smuggling. It is a difficult matter to eradicate smuggling entirely with a long unwatched coast-line and with vessels lying in the stream for days at a time, but a series of surprise searches of steamers has kept the matter within bounds, and only four prosecutions were necessary during the year. All were successful. Locally manufactured Liquor. — Joint raids by the Customs and police have resulted in four Europeans and two Chinese being convicted of distilling spirits from cocoa-juice and mummy-apples. Salutary sentences were, inflicted (£lOO against each European, imprisonment for twelve months against one Chinaman and deportation for the other), but tho simplicity of the apparatus used and the facilities for concealment offered by the forest render detection difficult. A half-caste was discovered making hop-beer over 3 per cent, of proof spirit, and a conviction followed, with the result that homo brewers aro realizing better their responsibilities in this respect. Medical Liquor. —This is imported by the Administrator, stored by the Customs, and issued upon medical certificate. Returns of certificates, issues, and stocks are made quarterly to the Board of Health. Private Stocks of Liquor. —Advertisements were published inviting holders of liquor imported before, the, Ist, May, 1920, to record their stocks at this office, otherwise the liquor would be assumed to be in unlawful possession. Most of the few holders of such liquor have complied. German Ordinances. —The " live " portions of these have now been incorporated in new Ordinances, and the inconvenience formerly existing has disappeared. Taxation. —This has been codified in the Taxation, Licensing, and Revenue Ordinance, 1921Great efforts are being made to put taxation matters in a satisfactory condition, and a considerable improvement has been effected. Lists of defaulters have been prepared, and legal proceedings have been taken against the worst offenders. Revaluations. —This was badly needed, and has been effected so far as Apia Water Area is concerned. It is hoped to have the whole Territory revalued during the coming year. A large number of protests have been received, and are having attention under the machinery set up by the Taxation Ordinance. Water Rates. —A water rate of |- per cent, has been struck for the Apia area, the reticulation being well advanced. Penal Tax. —This is having an excellent effect in. bringing in early payments. Resident Commissioners at Savaii and Aleipata. —- These do excellent work in collecting taxes and information in their districts. Plague Precautions. —The presence of plague in Australia has necessitated very careful handling at this port, but tho Customs and. tho Medical Officer of Health, working in close co-operation, have minimized the inconvenience to the shipping community.

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