The Law In Tonga.

Need for Complete Enforcement.

From Our Own Correspondent,

Nukualofa, June 21.

THE Kingdom of Tonga has a surplus of laws, but the necessary enforce ment of these laws is somewhat lacking.

It is but four years ago that the re vised edition of the Law of Tonga was published, and in that short time this edition has become obsolete. Since its publication, each session of Parliament has seen a crop of new laws and amendments and, during the interven ing period between sessions, the shower of Orders in Council and Regulations is like an autumn leaf fall.

On the other hand, enforcement of the law is lamentably weak and it is no exaggeration to say that this weak ness, combined with the flood of legal restrictions upon the people, tends to bring the Law into contempt among the natives.

Whether it is that the police system is at fault, or that the personnel of the force is incapable of coping with the situation I cannot say, but it would appear from the character of the legis lation now being introduced, that an endeavour is being made to overcome the inadequacy of the Police Depart ment by passing absurdly severe re strictions.

For example, take the Bill to be pre sented at the next meeting of the Leg islative Assembly. This bill provides for a licence fee of £60 per annum to sell hop beer. Undoubtedly, the object of the bill is to prevent home-brewers from supplying natives with an intoxi cating liquor. However, as there is al ready a law in force prohibiting the sale of liquor to natives of a greater strength than 2 per cent, proof spirit, the object of this ridiculous fee can be only to prohibit the sale of hop beer entirely.

Is the Department so ineffectual that it cannot prevent the sale of excessively alcoholic beverages to the natives, ex cept by depriving the whole population of the ubiquitously popular hop beer?

If so, it is high time that the Depart ment was re-organised on a more ef ficient basis.

What is required in a small country like this is some degree of balance.

Either legislation should be restricted to an extent the Department is able to contend with or the Department be in creased in strength and ability to such a standard as to be able to enforce the law. Otherwise the people will lose the respect for government so essential for the maintenance of order.

There have been lately far too many cases of breaking and entering lonely country trading stations, where the perpetrators have not been brought to book. The community is entitled to protection of property, and, if the police cannot provide it, it is the duty of the Government to put this Department upon a sound footing. Laws alone will not do it.

The tourist vessel, “Corinthia,” will call at Apia, Western Samoa, on Feb ruary 10, 1933. She will remain at that port for seven hours.