A.—4.

The actual function of the Pulenu'u is, by example and exhortation, to endeavour to maintain the observance of law in his village, and he performs some clerical duty also in reporting births, deaths, and making similar returns. Each Pulenu'u receives a salary of £9 per annum from the Treasury^); all the other officials and representatives are paid in similar manner, at various rates. The Mau organization was described in the last report( 2 ) as representing an unquestioned majority of the Samoan inhabitants, and the " New Mau "as not representing more than per cent, of the Samoan jsopulation. This position remains unchanged ; the smaller party has followers in some parts of Upolu ; the larger has influence throughout the Territory generally, including Savai'i, though its organizing centre of activity is adjacent to Apia. Trade. The total trade receded considerably from the 1937 figure, the trade of £444,877 being 28-28 per cent, below the previous year's figure of £620,304. This recession was due mainly to the reduced prices for copra and cocoa which ruled throughout the year. It is disappointing to note that, while cocoa exports increased from 1,253 tons to 1,647 tons, values decreased from £71,138 to £59,669. Copra exports also declined both in tonnage and value, the value of the year's exports dropping from £199,747 to £103,529 and the tonnage from 13,340 tons to 11,241 tons. Banana exports again increased, a record figure of 205,715 cases (7,347 tons) being shipped during the year, the value of the export being £77,143. Finance. An examination of the year's account discloses an excess of revenue over expenditure of £4,570. Particulars are given in Chapter YI, " Public Finance." Persons op Part-Samoan Descent. Good progress has been made with the land settlement schemes to assist local-born persons. All the settlers on Aleisa East are now exporting bananas and are developing themselves into a homogeneous community with a growing sense of civic responsibility. With the opening-up of an additional 650 acres at Aleisa West a further twenty-two families have been settled. Five-acre lots are provided for the London Missionary Society and the Roman Catholic Mission as church and school sites. It should be pointed out that none of the settlers is of Chinese-Samoan descent. Such persons, as mentioned in the last report, have a considerable affinity with the Samoan fundamentals of life, and the tendency is for them to be readily absorbed into Native life. The settlers under the land-settlement scheme, however, are all of European-Samoan blood, and have been selected from over a hundred applicants from the European-Samoan portion of the community, of whom there are some 2,900 in the Territory. There are now 60 adults and 115 children resident on the settlements. The question as to the assimilation of the European-Samoans would not appear to be to the point( 3 ). They are already an integral portion of the community who, because of their physical suitability to island conditions, are becoming an increasingly important factor in the Territory. Visits. It was a matter of sincere disappointment to all sections of the community that a visit to Western Samoa by the Governor-General of New Zealand and Viscountess Galway, preparations for which were made for July, was postponed owing to an outbreak of measles in New Zealand. The Territory is looking forward with pleasurable anticipation to the prospect of the visit being realized during 1939. The Governor of Fiji, Sir Harry Luke, K.C.M.G., paid a short visit to the Territory on his way from Tonga to Fiji. During the year the usual annual visits were exchanged between the Governor of American Samoa and the Acting Administrator. The newly appointed German Consul for New Zealand (including Western Samoa) paid an official visit to the Territory in connection with the affairs of German nationals. Postal and Radio. The Territory is served by two direct monthly vessels from New Zealand —m.v. " Matua," owned by the Union Steam Ship Co. of New Zealand, Ltd., and the New Zealand Government-owned motor-vessel " Maui Pomare." In addition, there are mail connections with the Matson liners at Pago Pago in American Samoa and occasional tourist and trading ships. There are thus at least three connections with New Zealand and two with other parts of the world each four weeks. The value of money-orders paid at Apia was £3,162 15s. 2d., a decrease of £771 10s. 3d. from last year's figure. Withdrawals from the Post Office Savings-bank exceeded deposits by £4,833 3s. The number of depositors as at the 31st March, 1939, was 2,648, and the amount held to their credit (including interest, £1,888 155.) was £67,610 12s. Id. There were 9,274 radio messages handled. The net receipts totalled £1,773 16s. 4d.

(!) See minutes of thirty-fifth session of Permanent Mandates Commission, page 159. ( 2 ) Sfee report for 1937-38, pages 3 and 4, and also minutes of thirty-fifth session of Permanent Mandates Commission, page 157. ( 3 ) See minutes of thirth-fifth session of Permanent Mandates Commission, page 162.

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