[?]omplications of [?]ongan [?]stem
p. 141 · Read in the full issue
[?]ongan [?]stem for Copra
HE official Tonga daily news- Esheet referred recently to an (impending settlement of jirred payments to copra pro ers, and, in response to an liiry, the manager of the Tonga ira Board, Mr. S. B. Brown, has lained how the commodity is [died. he Tonga Copra Board is laps unique in the south-western ific, as it operates quite jpendently of any outside rests. ach year when the price lived under the British MOF tract has been negotiated, the e to be paid to producers is i after making allowance for lagement, Salaries and Wages, irance, Storage, Transport, r-island Freights, Bagging, ropriations for Price Stabilisa- Fund and other Reserve ds, Export Duty, Wharfage, i Shrinkage Allowance of 5 per has also been the practice to v a margin of surplus of foximately £1 a ton to meet contingent liabilities which arise during the year, le board does not retain surplus, this being paid out jroducers at the end of each icial year, based on the iddual quantities sold to the d. though the estimated surplus is the actual surplus each year sually greater when interest i investments has been added, with shrinkage usually below r cent.
E recent price adjustment to producers was occasioned through the prolonged negotia -5 with the British MOF this , a price not being fixed until March. During this period board continued to pay out at year’s rates. Later an adjust t was made, together with the 1 deferred payment. is probable that all Pacific a boards operate in a similar regarding the initial price.
Fiji, to get of any surplus, price paid to producers is ;ased for a certain period to inate the surplus. This method introduced to Tonga in 1948, had a short life as the result strong representations from ucers. le Tonga system of deferred nents involves a considerable unt of clerical work, as a rd of each producer is kept.
Included in this international group recently snapped at Papeete are centre, Mayor Alfred Poroi, with Mme.
Poroi further to the right. On the left is a
Rarotonga businessman,
Mr. Johnny Webb, with Mrs. Webb. Between the Mayor and Mme.
Poroi is Dr. Bridgeman, of New Zealand. On the Mayor's other side is a Suva Indian businessman, Mr. Shankar Pratap, and second from the right end is a Japanese visitor, Mr. Yasoda.