A.—4

Statement re Depositors' Accounts. £ s. d. £ s. d. Balance at Ist April, 1926 .. .. 46,364 6 4 Withdrawals during year .. .. 37,440 11 11 Deposits in year .. .. .. 35,231 10 0 Balance, 31st March, 1927 .. .. 45,834 5 4 Interest for year .. .. .. i, 679 011 £83,274 17 3 £83,274 17 3 PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE. This year indicates that the Public Trust Office is now on a much more definite basis than it has been, and all the work which has been coming in is of a much more permanent nature. Of course, it is to be understood that the measure of the value of this office to the community is not in the profit which may be made, but in the actual benefit to the people in having experts to deal with their affairs at a reasonable price. During the year, several new estates have come in, and are being attended to in the ordinary way. OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE. It may be said that the year 1926 makes a turning-point in local business methods. Three persons were made bankrupt during the year, and the estate of one other was assigned to the Official Assignee with the consent of the creditors. It was pointed out years ago that the local credit system was quite a hopeless one for any up-to-date business, and this fact has been forced on the local merchants, so that they are now taking active steps to see that matters are rectified. AUDIT. During the year almost all of the Departments of the Administration were thoroughly overhauled and the audit brought up to date. In this connection it is hoped the work in future will be greatly reduced owing to the improvements effected in the various systems and the fact that everything is thoroughly up-to-date. STAFF. Careful attention continues to be given to the question of staffing the various Departments, having regard to the service required of them by the public.

WIRELESS DEPARTMENT. Statements covering the year's radio traffic handled by Apia Radio, quoted below, compare favourably with the previous year, the revenue resulting being practically the same as for 1926. The plant, with the exception of the battery, which will require renewing within the next year, can be considered in first-class order. In keeping with the latest practice, short wave-length transmission and reception (20-40 metres) is being utilized, with a resultant decrease in delay sometimes occasioned to traffic through static on higher wave-lengths, and also a saving in maintenance costs. Staff. Apia Radio. —This is the same in number as last year, but instead of the operators (four) being wholly officials,from New Zealand, with the excej>tion of one these have now been replaced by local boys who have been trained on the station.

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Staff as at 31st March, Department. 1 1924. 1925. 1926. 1927. Administrator ...... 2 1 1 1 Secretariat .. .. .. .. 4 6 5 5 Agriculture .. .. .. .. 5 5 5 6 Chinese (now Labour Department) 2 2 2 2 Customs and Harbour .... 6 8 8 9 Education .. .. .. . . 9 9 13 13 Justice .. .. .. .. 3 3 3 3 Lands and Survey ...... 4 6 7 6 Public Works .. .. .. 5 5 9 11 Medical .. .. .. .. 25 23 24 I 26 Native Affairs .. .. .. 4 4 4' j 4 Police and Prisons .. .. . . 7 6 7 6 • Postal .. .. .. .. 4 4 4 4Resident Commissioner's Office, Sava-i'i 4 4 5 4 Stores .. .. .. .. 2 4 3 Treasury .. .. .. .. 3 4 4 4 Radio-station ...... 8 8 8 7 Miscellaneous .. .. .. 1 1 Grand totals for Administration Depart- 98 103 113 111 ments