THE CHANNEL ISLANDS AND THE ISLE OF MAN The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are dependencies of the Crown and do not form part of the United Kingdom. They have their own legislative assemblies and legal and administrative systems, their laws depending for their validity on Orders made by the Queen in Council. Her Majesty's Government is responsible for the defence and international relations of the Islands and the Crown is ultimately responsible for their good government. The Channel Islands consist of two Bailiwicks, Jersey constituting one and the other comprising Guernsey and the adjacent islets of Herm and Jethou, together with Alderney and Sark, the two latter having their own legislative assemblies. The Sovereign is represented in each Bailiwick by a Lieutenant Governor, who is the official channel of communication between Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and the insular administrations. In Jersey and Guernsey, the Bailiff, who is appointed by the Crown, presides over the Royal Court and the representative assembly (the States) and is the head of the Island administration. The Queen is similarly represented by a Lieutenant Governor in the Isle of Man, where the legislative assembly is the Court of Tynwald, which comprises the Legislative Council and the House of Keys. The Lieutenant Governor presides in Tynwald and in the Legislative Council and the Speaker in the House of Keys. The Executive Council, to which appointments are made from Tynwald, is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor. BAILIWICK OF JERSEY Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief: His Excellency General Sir Desmond Fitzpatrick, GCB, DSO, MBE, MC Bailiff: H. F. C. Ereaut H.M. Attorney-General: V. A. Tomes Finance and Economics Committee: Senator C. Le Marquand Harbours and Airport Committee: Deputy W. J. Morvan Social Security Committee: Deputy M. L. Thomas BAILIWICK OF GUERNSEY Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief: GUERNSEY Bailiff: Sir John Loveridge, CBE HM Procureur (Attorney-General): C. K. Frossard ALDERNEY President of the States: G. W. Baron SARK Seigneur de Serk: J. M. Beaumont ISLE OF MAN Lieutenant Governor: His Excellency Sir John Paul, GCMG, OBE, MC Government Secretary: T. Kelly CHAIRMEN OF GOVERNMENT BOARDS Assessment: H. D. Macleod, MHK Civil Defence: Major General Sir Henry H. C. Sugden, KBE, CB, DSO, MHK Education: Miss J. C. C. Thornton-Duesbury, MHK Finance: J. B. Bolton, OBE, MLC Forestry, Mines and Lands: P. A. Spittall, MHK Highway & Transport: R. E. S. Kerruish, MLC Manx Museum & National Trust: W. T. Quayle, FRICS, FIAA LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL President: The Lieutenant Governor HOUSE OF KEYS Speaker: Hon. H. C. Kerruish, OBE, CP JUSTICE First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls: His Honour R. K. Eason, LLB Second Deemster: His Honour A. C. Luft HM Attorney-General: J. W. Corrin W WESTERN SAMOA ESTERN Samoa lies in central Polynesia in the South West Pacific Ocean between latitudes 13° and 15° south and longitudes 171° and 173° west. The Samoan group lies 2,600 miles south-west of Hawaii, 2,700 miles from Sydney, 1,800 miles north-east of New Zealand. The islands are formed mainly of volcanic rock, and coral reefs surround much of Western Samoa's coastline. Fresh water is plentiful in rivers and lakes. More than half of the total land in Upolu which is suitable for cultivation is around the three- to four-mile limit inland from the coast where most of the population is also settled. It is estimated that an area of 270 square miles is under cultivation. Nine islands make up Western Samoa and the total land area is some 1,090 square miles. Of this area, some 660 square miles form the island of Savai'i and 430 square miles the island of Upolu. The other islands are Apolima, Manono, Fanuatapu, Namua, Nuutele, Nuulua and Nuusafee. The climate is tropical ranging normally from 72° to 86°F. The cooler months are from May to November when the fresh trade winds blow and the rainy season extends from December to April. The rainfall is uneven in territorial distribution and the northern coast of Upolu normally receives less than the southern and the western less than the eastern coast. The annual figures for rainfall are 112 inches for the northern coast and 110 inches for the western end. An analogous distribution occurs on Savai'i. Hurricanes are not unknown in Western Samoa, very bad ones occurring in 1889, 1966 and again in 1968, causing great damage to property and crops. The Samoans are a Polynesian people akin to the Maori of New Zealand and the Tongans. Since 1960 people residing in Western Samoa are classed either as Western Samoan citizens or as foreigners; citizens travel on Western Samoan passports. The pre-requisite for Samoan citizenship is to be born in the country or to have five years residence. Other racial groups in Samoa include Euronesians, other Pacific Islanders, Chinese and Europeans. There has been a steady increase in Samoan population from 33,478 in 1906 when the first census was taken. At the census of November 1966 the population was 131,377, and at the census at the end of 1971 it was 143,547. The population is now estimated to be over 151,000 (1973). The main island of Upolu has the largest population of some 110,000 while Savai'i has some 40,000. The population of Apia, the capital, on the island of Upoly, is over 35,000. The annual natural population growth rate is about 3 per cent, but due to emigration the actual population growth rate is 1.8 per cent. The Samoans are Christian by religion and have assimilated religious observances into the pattern of village life. Among the Christian missions which have established themselves in Western Samoa are the Congregational, the Roman Catholic, the Methodist, the Latter Day Saints and the Seventh Day Adventists. The main languages spoken in Samoa are Samoan and English. THE ECONOMY The Western Samoan $ (tala) replaced the £ Samoan in July 1967. Land tenure in Samoa is of considerable importance. Since 1961 all land in Western Samoa has been held as: (i) customary land held from the State in accordance with Samoan custom; (ii) freehold land which is held from the State of Western Samoa in fee simple; and (iii) public land (formerly Crown Land) being land that is free from customary title and from any estate in fee simple. Of the 1,090 square miles that make up the land of Western Samoa some 80-5 per cent is 'customary land' controlled by the matai or chiefs and held in accordance with Samoan custom and usage. The matai is in effect the trustee of the extended family group. The control of the land does not necessarily pass from the chief to his son as there is an election of a new matai when the former matai dies. Customary land can be leased but not purchased. At independence, of a total 725,000 acres in the islands of Western Samoa, 32,000 acres were Trust Estate land, 561,062 acres were indigenous land and 26,953 acres were freehold land. The remainder was crown land, now called public land. Agriculture has formed the basis for Western Samoa's economy and seems likely to continue to play a most important role. Agriculture has largely been of a subsistence type with little money income accruing to the average Samoan planter. The land and the sea have provided food and the means for shelter for the Samoans and until recently there has been little intensive agriculture. The three major crops are coconuts (copra), cocoa and bananas. It is estimated that some 55,000 acres are planted in coconuts, 18,000 acres in cocoa and 17,000 in bananas. All copra is marketed through the Copra Board and the average annual production for export is 15,000 tons. Efforts have been made in recent years to eradicate plant diseases and pests and so to increase production. A total of 13,900 tons were exported in 1973. Cocoa exports have fallen steadily from 5,258 tons in 1962 to 1,200 tons in 1973. Banana production fluctuates considerably from year to year due mainly to the incidence of hurricanes. It has, however, shown a general decline from 761,500 cases in 1962 to 247,631 cases in 1971. In 1973 it was only 39,000 cases. Other agricultural exports include coffee, timber, taro and other tropical fruits and seeds. The estimated figures for livestock as at 1966 were: 2,600 horses, 20,000 cattle, including a small number of dairy cattle, 40,000 pigs and 500,000 poultry. Cattle are used for fresh beef for local consumption and provide hides for export. There is a dairy located near Apia. As far as fisheries are concerned, marine products are gathered by the Samoans mainly for personal consumption and commercial fishing is not yet of any significance. Efforts are, however, being made to develop marine resources generally. As a result of Government encouragement under the Enterprises Incentives Act a number of small industries have been established in recent years. These include two saw mills, an ice cream and a soft drinks factory, two biscuit factories, a soap factory, fruit canneries, two garment factories, a footwear factory, four hotels and other small enterprises, which are mainly designed to supply the local market. A food processing laboratory has been set up with the basic equipment supplied by Australia. Large scale exploitation of forest resources on the island of Savai'i has begun. It is expected that fifteen million board feet of indigenous hard woods will be exported each year. Western Samoa's approach to tourism reflects its concern to preserve the Samoan way of life. The economic benefits of tourism are, however, recognised and a policy of positive development is now being pursued. Expansion of hotel facilities is being undertaken together with the upgrading of Western Samoa's airport and roads. The number of tourists visiting Western Samoa has increased steadily over recent years. The pattern of Western Samoa's exports reflects the situation in a country where, with very little secondary industry, the main emphasis is on agriculture. Total exports in 1973 were WS $4,000,000 of which copra accounted for WS$1,650,000, cocoa WS$1,060,000, bananas WS $800,000, and timber WS $410,000. The most important purchasing countries are New Zealand, the Netherlands, Britain, West Germany and the United States of America. An analysis of Western Samoa's imports shows a concentration of foodstuffs, most of which are imported from New Zealand and Australia. Other imports include alcoholic beverages, tobacco, textiles, machinery and tools, transport equipment, fuel and lubricants, chemicals and other manufactured goods. The total value of imports in 1973 was WS$13,051,000. The Western Samoan Budget Estimates for 1973 were as follows: There are some 477 miles of roads in Western Samoa of which 80 miles are surfaced. As far as shipping services are concerned, a regular fortnightly service operates to New Zealand via Fiji, Tonga and Niue. A daily service links Apia and Pago Pago in American Samoa. There are also shipping connections with Australia, direct line services with Britain and Europe approximately once every six weeks, with Japan every three months, and with the Pacific coast of America once a month. Air New Zealand serves American Samoa and there are daily air services from Apia operated by Polynesian Airlines to Pago Pago which connect with a service to Fiji, New Zealand, America and Australia. There is a thrice weekly service to Fiji and Tonga. There are also inter-island daily air services between Upolu and Savai'i operated by Air Samoa and Samoa Aviation. A deep water wharf at Apia was opened in April 1966. A second port for oceangoing vessels at Asau on the island of Savai'i was opened in 1972. The problems of economic development in Western Samoa differ little from those experienced in other developing countries. Broadly stated, the difficulty is to sustain a policy of rational economic growth against the background of a rapidly increasing population, limited agricultural exports and the relatively wide fluctuations in the prices paid on the international market for these products. Special circumstances in Western Samoa, however, tend to sharpen and accentuate the effects of these difficulties. These include geographical isolation, an absence of mineral resources, the lack of nearby markets and of a large domestic market, and the low level of productive efficiency in the agricultural sector of the economy. New Zealand in particular has sought to assist in the economic development of the country as has the UN Development Programme, which undertook an |