Queen

Tonga—And Its

Misleading Twaddle in Australian Paper

r ROUGH the medium of Australia’s “luxury” periodical, the “ABC Weekly”—which Australian radio listeners keep floating in red ink to the tune of about £BO,OOO per annum—Mjss Beatrice Grimshaw has been “round trinping” again. This time to Tonga.

The popular writer portrays Tonga as a comic-opera kingdom which “ . . . under better circumstances would be a health resort for people from many other countries desiring rest and change in one of the most attractive of South Sea lands.”

Why Tonga should be turned into a health resort for ailing Europeans we can’t imagine—unless it is the Europeans’ divine belief that even sick members of their race can confer untold benefits on more benighted folk.

The article, mostly a fanciful disser tation on Queen Salote’s immediate fore bears, describes Tonga as “celebrated as the scene of Mariner’s great travel book.”

We have always understood that, far from being a round-tripper of the cruise age, Mariner was wrecked, pr marooned, on Tonga nearly two hundred years ago; and that the book he wrote after his escape is looked upon by historians and anthropologists as the classic on Tonga as it was before the European era. fIIHE article continues: X “These islands for a long time have been considered politically important, on account of their situation, which makes them a kind of stepping-stone between two great colonies. Up till 1900. Germany had considerable influence there. King George Tubou 11. father of the present Queen, when bent upon marriage applied first to the Kaiser for the hand of any eligible German princess ‘before settling upon a more suitable match at home.

“Tn 1900. however. Britain established a Protectorate. The Queen is allowed con siderable local powers, and as much state

as she wants. A Consul, supplied by Britain, is supposed to ‘advise’ on matters °i importance, and most of the officials ol the Tongan Public Service are white men from New Zealand.

“A Civil Service of white, employed and paid by coloured people, is an anomaly, but it appears to work well on the whole, although somewhat handicapped by the prevailing Tongan attitude towards white people. The Tongans have always con sidered themselves divine, and therefore superior to any other people. The cour tesy and kindness of other Pacific races are wanting in Tonga. Passing travellers of standing, who have come with hand some gifts to the Royal Family, have been amazed by the Royal custom of receiv ing all such without acknowledgment or thanks. ‘lt is done’ that way in the palace.

“The principal island. Tongatabu (“Holy Tonga”), is flat, which makes it prac tically a natural aerodrome. The same can be said of most of Haapai, the next important island. But Vavau, nearer Fiji, has one of the finest harbours in the Pacific, nerfectly protected on all sides by high hills, and very deep.

“Tofoa is known as Tin-Can Island, because mails are taken out to sea and brought in by a swimmer carrying a sealed can. The island is difficult of ap proach, barren and volcanic, and has only what one might call journalistic import ance.

“Tourists have never been encouraged in Tonga, and there is little accommo dation for them.”

IN a subsequent issue of the “Weekly,” two ex-residents of Tonea, E. E V Collocott, of Kiama, NSW. and C.

Moore, of Fairfield West, NSW, express themselves vigorously in letters to the editor. They were residents for J 3 years and 8 years resnectively and the article is variously described as “twaddle,” and the author as a “typical tourist who spends a few hours in one of the ports of Tonga, makes notes of a few yarns told on the boat, and then ‘educates’ the Australian public on Pacific matters.”

The Australian public to-day will swallow anything that is dished out by

the growing number of self-appointed Pacific “experts.” It is to be regretted that there is not always at hand, people who can refute their misleading state ments, as there was in this case: Prom Mr. Collocott’s letter: “The late King George Tubou II and his daughter, the present Queen Salote are distinguished by fine intelligence, dignified courtesy, and an endearing kindliness and charm. The heir to the Tongan Crown, besides having proved himself as athlete and sportsman, is a graduate in Law and Arts of Sydney University.

“There are topographical errors in the ABC article. Tofoa —presumably Tofua is meant—is not the island where the mails are taken out and brought in by a swimmer with a sealed can. This is done at Niua Po’ou, 150 miles or so to the north. Haapai is not the name of an island, but of an archipelago of many small islands.”

From Mr. Moore: "One word about ‘ingratitude of the Palace’: to my personal knowledge there have been boat days when a succession "of white tourists walked, uninvited, into the Queen's residence, and even invaded her private apartment. How scathingly a Tongan might write of the lack of politeness of Europeans.

“There are many in this country who know the Queen of Tonga to be a graci ous lady, and a very wise ruler of her little kingdom.”