A.—4.

VII,— DIRECT TAXES. Under the Revenue Amendment Ordinance, 1936, the personal tax of £1 ss. payable by male adult Europeans of eighteen years of age and over was abolished, with effect from Ist April, 1936. The direct taxes now are —

In addition there are the usual motor-vehicle licenses, water-rates, and other similar fees. VIII,— INDIRECT TAXES. The principal revenue of the country is derived from Customs duties (see the annual reports on " Trade, Commerce, and Shipping "), store, copra-house, and other taxes as set out in the Revenue Ordinance, 1929, and port and shipping fees defined in the Port Control Ordinance, 1932. Stamp duties are also collected in accordance with the provisions of the Stamp Duty Ordinance, 1932. Imports in 1936 were 6344 per cent, of the value of exports, as compared with 71-72 per cent, in 1935. IX,— TRADE. The trade figures for the calendar year 1936 showed an increase of 32-37 per cent, over those of 1935. Imports increased by £31,263 and exports by £73,957, the increase in copra and cocoa prices being mainly responsible for the satisfactory position. The price of copra rose from £13 17s. 6d. per ton on the London market at the beginning of 1936 to £21 2s. 6d. at the end of the year. The total exported during 1936 was 13,014 tons, as compared with 12,501 tons for 1935. Cocoa prices displayed an upward tendency in 1936, rising from £45 per ton in January to £70 in December, and favourable weather conditions permitted an export of 1,065 tons as against the 1935 total of 576 tons. A new lecord was reached in banana shipments during the year, 128,045 cases (4,573 tons) being sent to the New Zealand market, the total value being £46,737. The price to growers was increased to ss. per case, 6d. more than in the previous year. Rubber also showed a satisfactory increase, 51 tons valued at £3,408 being shipped as compared with 25 tons (worth £1,372) in 1935. The price in London rose over the period from to 9jfd. per pound. The following return shows the principal exports, and the total value of the exports, imports, and total trade of the Territory for recent years : —

The destinations of the three main exports during 1936 were as follows^): —

(!) See minutes of the Thirtieth Session of the Permanent Mandates Commission, page 121.

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Received 1935-36. 1936-37. £ £ (а) Graduated salary-tax, from £1 on £200-£300 to £30 over £1,500 .. 363 325 (б) Building-tax, 1 per cent, per annum of capital value of European 2,596 2,469 buildings

Exports. Imports. Calendar Year. Copra. j Cocoa. j Bananas. Total j —j— Value. 1 Valuc - Tons. Value. | Tons. 1 Value. ! Tons. Value. £ £ £ £ £ £ 1927 .. 11,665 242,672 792 48,216 .. .. 335,978 304,369 640,347 1928 .. 15,989 319,259 959 69,507 815 11,219 422,175 326,553 748,728 1929 .. 12,941 205,330 677 46,286 1,916 24,640 293,938 288,849 582,787 1930 .. 12,285 166,221 1,007 61,294 3,424 44,259 284,515 275,355 559,870 1931 .. 11,062 109,220 620 35,284 3,044 39.022 194,447 164,950 359,397 1932 .. 10,879 108,698 825 49,712 2,383 20,016 183,028 150,902 333,930 1933 .. 11,526 101,347 899 41,813 2,928 26,999 173,837 150,856 324,693 1934 .. 8,948 60,654 1,027 29,498 3,437 35,796 128,117 92.784 220,901 1935 .. 12,501 108,695 576 19,639 3,893 38,146 189,298 135,757 325,055 1936 .. 13,014 156,873 1,065 46,607 4,573 46,737 263,255 167,020 430,275

Country. Copra. Cocoa. Bananas. Tons. Tons. Tons. United Kingdom .. .. 3,032 536 New Zealand . . • ■ ■ • • • • • 76 4,573 Australia . . . • ■ • • • ■ • 5 United States of America .. .. • • 561 166 European ports (exact destination unknown) 6,872 282 Canada . . . . •• •• 84 Holland .. .. • • • • 1 > 159 Mexico . • • • • • • • 1 > 306 Totals 13,014 1,065 4,573