Nukualofa News Notes

BE new Telephone Exchange at Nukualofa, Tonga, preparations for eh began four years ago, was officially led by Tongan Premier, Prince Tungl, November 20. The opening ceremony marked the closing of the old ex age after 30 years’ service, lie new switchboard has a capacity 180 lines, but can be extended to 960 s when required. The old switchboard a capacity of only 190 lines, instruction of the new exchange took e with the assistance, and under the ction, of the New Zealand Post Office, supplied the technical staff required the work and also made available from stock all of the cable and line trials required. Over 4M miles of srground cable were laid and all n aerial lines were reconstructed. iring October the Tongan Banana d exported to New Zealand 13,838 5 of bananas, 1,969 cases of pineapples 1,993 melons. In addition, a large tity of vegetables—including cabbages, t potatoes, sweet corn, carrots, itoes and lettuces—and 25 melons were ped to Pago Pago, American Samoa, shipments were from Nukualofa and >n. e Tongan Parliament is expected to onvened in January to deal with the Pies Revision Report now being pre -1 by Salaries Commissioner R. O. age, who arrived in the Kingdom fovember 7.

'. T. F. Kennedy, the new Principal Tonga College, arrived with Mrs. ledy and their two children at lalofa on October 35. The college has without a Principal for four years.

Kennedy was welcomed at the school be Acting Director of Education, Mr.

C. A. Crane, and was later entertained by staff members.

Mr. T. W. T. Whittington. MA, at present Senior Master at Otago Boys’

High School, NZ, has been appointed Director of Education of Tonga. He Is replacing Mr. G. A. Read who resigned recently. Mr. Whittington is expected to arrive, with his wife, on January 10, 1956.

Visitors to Tonga who arrived at Nukualofa by the “Matua” on November 24 included the Bishop of Polynesia, the Rt. Rev. L. S. Kemnthorne. He conducted the annual Confirmation Service at St.

Andrew’s Church and returned to Suva on November 30.