New Tongan Parliament

Elected

THE three-yearly election of members of the Tongan Parliament were held early in May. Three members are elected for Tongatapu (the island on which Nuku’alofa is situated) and near by islands, two for the Ha’apai Group, and two for the Vava’u Grouo (including Niuatoputapu Island, some 200 miles to the north).

The interest taken in these elections is indicated by the number of candidates standing—ten for the three Tongatapu seats, seven for Ha’apai, and 12 for Vava’u.

Molitoni Finau, one of the Kingdom’s Elder Statesmen, was returned at the head of the poll for Tongatapu.

The Nobles have yet to elect seven of their number to renresent them in the Parliament, the remaining members of which consist of the Premier and members of the Privy Council. A Speaker is nominated by the Sovereign.

Parliament will be opened on June 24 by Queen Salote.

A daughter was born in May to Marygowan and Frank Blundell, of Vau cluse, Sydney. Mrs. Blundell is the daughter of Mr, and Mrs. G. Allen Innes, who are well-known in Fiji and Papua- New Guinea.

In reply to a paragraph in April “PIM, 5 ’ that a ‘gentleman in Vancouver was seek ing a Pacific island for a Utopian settle ment, Browne’s Better Business, of Levuka, Fiji, advise us that they have two freehold islands for sale. We have tried to pass the information along— although we are not sure that the plan is anything more than an idle reporter’s dream.