A.—6,

1935. NEW ZEALAND.

NIUE ISLAND ADMINISTRATION.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

REPORT ON THE NIUE ISLAND ADMINISTRATION, 1934-35-

Finance. Niue lias again experienced a difficult year, although the position improved somewhat towards the end of the period as a result of the increased prices obtainable for copra. Revenue for the twelve months ended 31st March, 1935, amounted to £14,633, an increase of £661 over the total for the previous year, while the expenditure totalled £14,048, as compared with £13,840 for the year ended 31st March, 1934. The operations for the year resulted in a surplus of £584, as compared with a surplus of £132 for the previous year. Investments on behalf of the Administration by way of general reserve amounted to £3,706 on the 31st Ma.rc.li, 1935, on which date the Administration held assets valued at £30,952. Trade. Imports for the calendar year 1934 totalled £13,372 and exports £12,341. The figures for the previous year were £13,123 and £11,542. The total trade for the year 1934 amounted to £25,713, as compared with an average of £31,865 over the previous ten years. The trade figures continue, of course, to reflect the decreased value of copra, though, as stated above, prices for this product improved considerably in the last quarter of the year. The total quantity of copra exported during the calendar year under review was only 125 tons, valued at £961, as compared with an average of 470 tons, valued at £7,850, over the previous ten years. The small quantity shipped is due largely to the low prices ruling, the Natives showing little inclination to prepare this commodity while it returns such low remuneration. There has been an increase in the quantity of bananas shipped to New Zealand, the total for the calendar year being 28,393 cases, as compared with 24,596 cases for 1933, and this increase has undoubtedly assisted in the slightly improved trade position for the year under review.

I—A. 6.