Tongan Notes

From a Special Correspondent.

Nukualofa, Mch. 30.

MUCH to the relief of the Government and the poor taxpayers of the King dom, the Government Despatch Vessel, “Hifofua,” has been at last put into ser vice, after it being laid up for eight months. Since the vessel was bought it had acquired the habit of breaking down at intervals. This last breakdown, how ever, was due to a broken crank shaft.

This is the second time the vessel has had its crank shaft broken.

During the eight months of the ship’s idleness the Captain and Engineer were drawing full pay, and the mate and two

greasers were drawing half pay for look ing after her, as she was lying safely in front of Nukualofa.

The quarterly Session of the Supreme Court has just been completed. This was the first Session of the newly appointed Acting Chief Justice, Mr. Ragnar Hyne, therefore much interest was centred in the Court’s proceedings.

During March a complainant in the Chief Police Magistrate’s Court disclosed his intention of appealing against the decision of that Court. The appeal, if launched, is to be heard by the Acting Chief Justice: but, queerly enough, the Chief Police Magistrate and the newly appointed Acting Chief Justice are one and the same person. Consequently, the appeal will await the return of the Chief

Justice, Mr. Murray-Aynsley, who is at present absent on leave in Europe.

Mr. Ragnar Hyne is a man of many parts. Before he received his present appointment he was Secretary to the Pre mier, Chief Police Magistrate, Director of Education, Principal of the Government College and Legal Adviser, besides holding other honorary offices in the European community here, such as President of the Golf Club, Secretary to the Victoria Memorial Hall Committee, etc. So he is one of those, if not born with greatness, upon whose shoulders greatness is thrust; and he bears it all with his usual cheerful grin.

The price of copra is very low here, as elsewhere. People find it very hard to purchase clothing, kerosene, soap, and other commodities which civilisation has forced on them, let alone paying their poll tax, land lease, horse tax, gun license, etc. The one source of income on which they rely to meet these de mands is their bananas; and the price of bananas nowadays is 3/- a case.

In spite of the hard times, the Govern ment seems to be optimistic, for it re cently voted £8000 for the reconstruction of the cement wharf at Nukualofa, and that work has just been completed.

Another big public work under way is the erection of a bond shed at the wharf.

One wonders why such works were left to be done at a time like this. However, one does not want nor dare criticise the profundity of the Government’s action.

Perhaps it is due to some profound econo mical reason; probably to give employ ment to the Tongan taxpayers. How ever, as far as one can ascertain, most of the labourers employed are Fijians, who were brought specially for these works. [EDITORIAL NOTE. —The action of the Tongan Government, in undertaking such public works at the present time, is sound economics. The Govern ment has a large accumulated surplus—something over £100,000. The taxpayers (which is the State) are suffering from a seriously diminished income, the result of what is hoped are temporarily de pressed markets. This, therefore, is the time when the State’s savings should be used, particularly in necessary public works. But the practice of countering the effects of world-wide depression by spending the State’s savings on public works is based on the theory that the money shall, as far as possible be kept in the country. The report that labourers from another country have been brought in to do the work, therefore, is most sur prising.]