Notes From Tonga

From Our Own Correspondent.

Vava'u, Tonga.

FTER 31 years at the convent of the I Saicred Heart in Neiafu, Vava’u, Sister Mary Gemma of the Marist is. has been transferred to the vent at Ho’uma in Tongatapn. She been in charge of the convent school 1 will be greatly missed for her fine k and her never-failing kindness and erfulness. mong the new local residents is Mr. nke van der Moeln, originally of The herlands, who has come to Vava’u to in charge of the Tongan government erimental farm near ’Utul. uring the absence of the governor, the i. ’Ahomc’e, who with his wife is en ng a leave in New Zealand, his place illed by Judge Feilo’akitau.

MP Sateki Tupou and his bride have i visiting relatives in Vava’u. TMP eki has only recently returned to the ;dom after an absence of some years, ing which time he worked as medical ser at Niue Island. Last year, after r ing Niue, he was at Central Medical 00l in Suva, where he took a post luate course in laboratory procedure, vas there he met his wife, Talahiva, was a popular member of the Suva gan colony. The couple will make their ic in Nuku’adofa where TMP Sateki be stationed at the Vaiola Hospital, r. and Mrs. David Wolffgram of Villa, a’u, recently became the parents of iughter, Salote Tataklama. hile her husband. Dr. Russell Raitt the Scripps Institution of Oceano ihy in La Jolla, California, was busy

on the expedition ship, “Baird,” which ex plored the Tongan deep in December, Mrs.

Helen Raitt visited Vava’u, where she made a comprehensive study of Tongan customs and crafts. She is the head of a Californian purse and handbag company and was particularly interested in Tongan weaving techniques and made an interest ing collection of Tongan mats and purses.

Mr. Kenneth Grove, minister in charge of the Wesleyan church of Vava’u, holi dayed during December and January in Ha’apai and Nuku’a-lofa. In his absence, the church was in charge of the Rev.

Kaivai Heimuli.

Michael McKay, young son of President Fred. McKay of the Wesleyan church in Nuku’alofa, spent the school holidays in Vava’u as the guest of Dale and Allen Grove, sons of the Rev. K, D. Grove.

The Rev. Tamahori, newly-appointed Church of England minister to Tonga, ha« been in Vava’u for some weeks studying local conditions. With the de parture of the Rev. Fred Bastian, present Anglian minister, for Samoa in March, Mr. Tamahori will be in charge of the Church of England church and school in Nukualofa and will have control of all Anglican congregations in Tonga.

TMP Lutui Fonua, who is in charge of Gnu Hospital in Neiafu, Vava’u, is enjoy ing six months’ leave in Fiji.

Medical services in Vava’u have been extended recently by the addition of three nurses to the staff of the Gnu Hospital.

All from Nuku’alofa, they are lluaia, theatre nurse, Male Fuka, ward nurse, and Luisa Manu, child welfare nurse..

Dr. Garland Hallman, who has been CMO in Nuku’alofa, for 18 months leaves Tonga in March. He and Mrs. Hall man and their three young children will sail for England. After attending the Cor

onation, the Hallmans will spend a year touring England and the Continent before they return to their permanent home in British Columbia.