Travelling Journalist's Criticism Brings Sharp

Retorts From Tonga.

[To the Editor.]

Sir, —A letter in your issue of May 19, signed by a Mr. Marc. T. Greene, contains the following astounding statement: “The notion that a journalist re quires more than four or five weeks to grasp the essentials of such a place and life as that in Tonga, is merely silly ignorance.”

If Mr. Greene intends this statement to be taken seriously, then he is wasting his time as a journalist, and should be a Prime Minister, at least.

I am quite prepared to accept the editor’s assurance that Mr. Greene is an experienced journalist, but not the implication that he is, ipso facto, a kind of super-statesman.

Disregarding altogether the point at issue as to the standing of the Tongan in relation to other Pacific races, an assertion of this kind can only be described as absurd.

In the first place, a summing-up of the conditions of the Tongan people cannot be made on the strength of a few weeks spent under restricted limits in the townships of Nukualofa and Vavau, which is the basis of Mr.

Greene’s statements. The “Town”

Tongan leads an entirely different existence from the Tongan on the land, and no reasonable estimate of the con ditions under which some 90 per cent, of the people live can be made without weeks of travelling and extensive ob servation and enquiry in the country districts and outlying islands, where automobiles, radios, picture shows, etc., are merely legends. This, Mr. Greene emphatically did not do.

Further, the writing of letters under a nom-de-plume is not necessarily a sign of cowardice; newspapers of the standing of the “Times” and “Spec tator” have no objection to publishing such letters, which, in many cases, are written by people who, by reason of their employment or condition of life, would otherwise be unable to express their opinions. For instance, discussion on religious matters would be largely stifled were nom-de-plume not allowed; and letters on this subject alone form practically the only method of ques tioning assertions made from the pulpit.

The trouble is that the Islands have been suffering from an overdose of “journalists” and “authors” for the past ten or fifteen years. They have ranged from the idiotically-romantic, who describe islands and people who do not exist and never have existed (see Pacific Islands Year Book, in regard to articles of this kind on Rapa Island), through the critical and know-all type (who frequently give offence to Islanders, both white and brown, by highly-coloured and reputedly humor ous descriptions of those who have, in many cases, been their hosts), down to what may be described as the “stiff” type, i.e., persons, self-styled as “jour nalists,” ’ who appear to consider that

such description entitles them to more or less free travelling in local vessels, free entertainment by local clubs and sporting bodies, and free drinks. This last type is, unfortunately, not the most uncommon.

As an instance of the second type referred to, I recently read a book, cir culated locally amongst many of the author’s hosts, by some feminine writer—Elinor Mordaunt. This lady did not even require four or five weeks in the place, but, on the strength of a four or five days’ stay in Nukualofa, whilst her vessel was in port, and during the time of the Church troubles of 1924, describes how she “'dressed down” Her Majesty the Queen, and H.R.H. Prince Tugi, the Prime Minis ter, in regard to their actions in this affair.

Apparently these writers lack a sense of humour, otherwise a statement of this kind would surely strike this author as being, at the least, imper tinent and offensive.

Finally, if Mr. Greene’s dignity is hurt by “offensive personalities,” I would suggest that the remedy is not retaliation in the form of referring to other correspondence as “braying, asses.”

I am, etc..

Alsager.

Nukualofa, June 22, 1932.

The Queen of Tonga arriving at a public function at Nukualofa.