Tongan Women Missed

Their Vote Five New Members in New Parliament

From Our Own Correspondent

Nukualofa, June 16.

A TECHNICAL error in legislation passed three years ago to give them the franchise, deprived the Tongan women of a vote at the general Parliamentary election held on May 28.

If the error had not occurred, the Tongan women would have been the first Island women to gain political equality with their men.

However, it seems certain that the distinction is reserved for them.

The error will be rectified and the women will vote at the next election in three years' time.

Tonga’s Parliament meets in the middle of the year. It consists of seven nobles elected by their peers (the hereditary chiefs), seven representatives elected by the people, and the Cabinet Ministers, including the Governors of Ha’apai and Vava’u. The speaker is ap pointed by the Queen, usually from the nobles.

The candidates elected on Mav 28 were:—

Representatives Of*

NOBLES: Lavaka, Kalaniuvalu and

Fusitu’a for Tongatapu; Tuita-and Tu’iha’angana for Ha’apai; Veikune and Tu’ilakepa for Vava’u.

Representatives Of

PEOPLE; M. Finau, S. Tu’akoi and H, Vete for Tongatapu; V. L.

Tu’akihekolo and S. P. Afeaki for Ha’apai; T. Mafua and S. P.

Afuha’amango for Vava’u.

All were sitting members with, the exception of Lavaka, Fusitu’a, Tu’ilakepa, H. Vete and S. P.

Afeaki.

The stormy petrel of Tonga’s Parliament is S.P. Afuha’amango,, whose leftist views have often enlivened the conservative formality of debates.

Parliament usually conducts itself with dignity. The speeches are eloquent, flowery, and full of Imagery, They are an example of the gift of oratory and impromptu speaking possessed by the Tongan and his Polynesian cousins, and their humour is no weak element.

Every Parliament has its “grand old man ’, and Tonga’s is M. Finau, of impressive bulk. He is the King dom’s senior lawyer and an old boy of Newington College, Sydney.

He was a noted athlete in his College days. He was a member of the First Fifteen and First Eleven which dominated the Sydney GFS competitions in 1900. He was also the crack rifleman of the GPS that year.