Unlawful!

SUVA, March 20. rREE adventurous Tqngans who broke out of gaol in Nukualofa in June, 1945, and have since been doing an island cruise in a dug-out canoe, have found that it is unlawful to land in any part of Fiji without a permit. The Lau Group—on an island of which they have resided since Janu ary 1 this year—was once the tradi tional meeting place of Tongans and Fijians.

But not now, in the year of our Lord 1946, not even for the technically-free citizen, unless he has a passport or a permit to land. All this comes under the general heading of progress, al though the Tongans in question may not believe it.

On March 16, in Suva, they were brought before the Magistrate’s Court and found guilty of unlawfully landing in the Colony. Each was fined £lO, in default three weeks’ imprisonment.

Nukualofa to Lau in a dug-out, al though it was quite the thing to do in the good old days, might be considered quite an effort to-day had the adven turers not been gaol-birds and therefore quite unworthy of praise.

Thieves have been busy since Noumeans have come into possession of more money than they knew existed in pre-war days.

The latest victim is Mme. Andre, a widow who keeps a shop in • the Trois Poteaux quarter. In French and American notes, somebody robbed her of £5OO. , <rrhnr „ in lntp March v 1 r ’

+nr^ P S’

2 ’cncna°?nr °thf ° a™pHcqn ™Jf°

tons of coco& for th.o AmoriCcin ms-rkot.

The ss -< We stwind” is expected shortly in the port to lift an additional 500 tons of copra for New Zealand,