Tonga Provides for an Extensive

Public Works Programme

DUE largely to increased expenditure on public works the Tongan Govern ment Estimates for 1948-49 show an increase of over 100 per cent on the actual expenditure of 1946-7.

The current year’s estimates provide for a small surplus, with revenue calculated at £224,000 and expenditure at £222,242. (Revised estimates for 1947-48 were; Revenue, £238,200 and Expenditure, £142,500).

Customs duties are again expected to account for more half of the revenue —£141,000. The remainder is to be made up of native taxes, port and wharfage dues, licenses, Court fees, Post Office, etc.

It is estimated that Queen Salote and her establishment will receive £5,646 in the current year; the Premier and his establishment, £6,712; the Legislative Assembly, £7,076; and Governors of provinces, £1,258.

It should be noted that these amounts are, in the case of the Queen and the Premier, made to cover the cost of their entire establishments. The £5,646 paid to the Queen covers allowances and salaries to the Crown Prince, 33 nobles, an aide-de-camp, a chaplain, a private secretary, six attendants, two servants, one messenger and a clerk, an unspecified number of guards, and a car allowance.

Of the various government departments education and medical services will re ceive the largest amounts (£13,360 and £17,960 respectively) and show some in crease on previous years’ figures.

New and non-recurrent public works are estimated to cost £63,364, but whether this amount can be spent depends upon the availability of materials. Original estimates for 1947-48 were for to be spent on non-recurrent public works.

The revised estimates, however, show that the figure will be nearer £5,000. Tonga, in common with other Pacific territories, has a large public works programme ahead but labour and material supplies have cramped it, to date.

In the current year it is hoped to undertake a deal of new public building. It is estimated that £5,000 of the new £lO,OOO hospital at Vavau will be spent this year; £4,000 will be spent on the erection of the new Magistrates’

Court; £5,000 on the replacement of other public buildings (estimated to cost, eventually, £50,000). A new telephone exchange is estimated to cost £2,000;

the electric light scheme for Nukualofa will cost £14,000 this year (final esti

mated cost, £28,000); and £3,000 has been provided for reconstruction of the wharf at Nukualofa and a further £3,000 for the wharf at Vavau.

Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Cahill of Madang, NG, have been spending a holiday in Brisbane and Sydney. They expect to return to New Guinea shortly.