Plenty To Spend But

Nothing To Buy

Nuku’Alofa. Dec., 27.

THE high price of copra gave Tongans increased spending this Christmas and the pre-festive season buying period was somewhat hectic, for Tonga.

Hundreds of people came in from the country towns to make their Christmas purchases in Nuku’alofa shops and as a result of the consequent overcrowding several people were knocked down in the roadways by motor vehicles.

The only thing that dampened the crowd’s enthusiasm was the shortage of goods in the shops. Tongans felt that they had been robbed of something, as their newly-acquired financial freedom availed them nothing.