Tonga

Tax Reforms In

Prisoners Released on July 24

ALL persons who were in gaol in Tonga for failure to pay taxes—a very large number —were released on Sunday, July 24, as a result of a decision by the Ton gan Parliament.

New decisions made include the fol lowing:— Unlimited imprisonment for non-pay ment of taxes is abolished, and default ers instead will be employed on road work, for a maximum of 6 weeks (in stead of 8 months), at 2/- and one free meal per day. Six weeks’ roadwork wipes out one year’s tax.

Poll-tax is reduced from 36/- to 32/per annum. (It escaped abolition alto gether only on the casting vote of the Speaker.) The iniquitous fine of 5/- for each quarter during which the tax remains unpaid is abolished.

Mrss Goodsall sailed from Syd ney for Samarai, Papua, by the “Montoro” on August 3 to spend a short holiday with Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Ir vine, at Giligili Plantation.

Dr. North cote Deck, Deputation Secretary of the South Sea Evan gelical Mission, sailed from Syd ney for the Solo mon Islands by the July “Malaita”. He will hold a series of conferences with the heads of the various S.S.E. sta tions.

Mr. S. R. Parrott sailed from Sydney for Rabaul, New Guinea, by the “Montoro” on Aug ust 3, to take up a position as motor engineer with the Adminis tration.

Dr. Z. Wechsler sailed from Sydney for Gavutu, B.S.I., by the July “Ma laita”. He is the new Medical Offi cer for Lever’s Pacific Plantations Pty. Ltd,