It’s Not True Tha [?]

Tongans Have Feet Voice In Govt.

By Molitani Finau.

When Sydneysider wrote

article, “Tonga Tourist Is

Amused”, it appears to me she based her conclusions i stay in Tonga of only a ver> days, as what she endeavour* express manifested her lad

the background of things.

ffTHE criticism of Tonga was presented, but unfortunate went beyond its usefulness tended to be destructive.

The information given in the tide led me to think that the v stayed at the Beach House i and that locals who have compl about the administration of our Kingdom jumped at the opporti of airing their views to this nalist, who undoubtedly swalh them all.

It was alleged that whatever chiefs say goes. This could been right in the 19th century, \ we did not own anything, even lives. But to say that we now but a very feeble voice is not Only last year, we celebrated centenary of our independence, mocracy has existed here for r than 100 years.

Prince Tungi should not be < cised for holding all the porth he does. His father, when Prer was also Minister of Education, I ister of Works, Minister of Exte Affairs, Auditor-General and M

I Head of Telephones and Tele hs. The Hon. Ata who Slic ed him also held all these port s. i why should the present holder riticised? It is a long-practised sdure to hold such posts. And le asks why others are not ap ted to these jobs, my answer at the amount of work concerned ily enough for a couple of days anth for each portfolio, so pay ; of salaries to others would not warranted.

Well-Educated

ir Crown Prince is a well ated young man, who attended ington College, Sydney, and later ■ed Wesley College when attend ee Sydney University, where graduated BA and LLB. hen Prince Tungi returned to ;a, he was responsible for the wing changes, among many rs, which are recognised as true ress: itroducing the law of income ax. aising the standard of educa ion—many scholars being sent broad each year. .evising salaries by the importa ion of two experts, Messrs. Ram ge and Bolt. atroducing electricity in Nuku lofa and many other villages.

Establishing the Broadcasting Commission. urchasing two vessels, MV Aoniu ,nd TV Hifofua, which have erved Tonga well, le members of our Legislative mbly are not just empty drums •e filled automatically. Matters mportance are brought to the se to be debated. The Premier’s

side has been defeated several times.

Many other motions from the representatives of the people have also been rejected.

As to the hotel, an American wished to put up a hotel independently. The Government thought of going into partnership in this venture, and viewed it with great concern.

When the matter was put before the Privy Counil for confirmation, it was not approved. There were no restrictions imposed, as alleged, and the alleged millionaire can still go ahead with his project if he wishes.

The Beach House, with its mid-

Victorian architecture and dark rooms, was not meant to be a hotel, The building would have been pulled down but for Fiji Airways. The Tongan Government has approved of its being pulled down for other Government purposes. But if there were no Beach House, Fiji Airways would not consider it worthwhile coming to Tonga, n Satisfied With Tonga Sydneysider has painted a colour ful picture of Tahiti with its huge tourist resorts. Fiji is also building a huge tourist trade. But do the Pacific Islands exist only to provide

[?] throne in the Tongan Parliament [?] e is occupied by Queen Salote when [?]officially opens a new session. Here [?] ers await the Queen's arrival at a [?] cent sitting.—Photo: Tulua Bros.

ists with comforts? r e are satisfied with our Tonga our high morality. Each country administer its country accord to the people’s wish, and we nister ours according to our way fe. We value Tonga, its cus , its people, and last, but not God our Saviour more than ey. ur Tonga lacks scenery and the id knows it. We have only a monga, the blow holes and the g foxes, etc. The whole of ga can be seen in a day, and it l poor kingdom. But tourists come if they wish.

Tiy do they insist on coming to ga, I wonder? Perhaps it is tuse there is no queen anywhere in the South Pacific, that there no other Friendly Islands, that e is no other Tin Can Mail id. ther points I would like to make that: Vhen Queen Elizabeth II honoured js with a visit in 1953 with the Ouke of Edinburgh, she knighted ;>ur Premier, Prince Tungi. This cnighthood was not bought, but earned, and won the recommenda tion of the British Consul, lalf-castes in Tonga can be naturalised if they wish without any financial loss, but the Ton gan Government cannot and will never force them. As Sydneysider stated, Germany and the British :ountries would not take them, and they are Stateless according to their wish. Most of them, in fact, think they would be de prived of certain European privi leges if they became naturalised as Tongans.

When a young graduate from the National University, Canberra, visited Tonga at the end of a tour of the Pacific Islands in vestigating the laws governing land tenure, he told me that the law of Tonga on this was the best in the world and that the world looked on Prince Tungi as the best administrator of the South Pacific Islands.

Other Comments

JE following letters have been received on Sydneysider’s criti i of Tonga: irs.—My most grateful thanks to for publishing my article on iga tourists in March, which was ten in reply to Sydneysider’s nary comments. Many thanks to neysider for her very fair com it on it. In fact your March issue

sold out in quick time as soon as it arrived in Nukualofa.—Yours, etc.,

S. A. Fanamanu.

Nukualofa.

Sirs.—l spent some years working in Tonga and enjoyed my stay there. I also very much enjoyed, and agreed with, Sydneysider’s article in January PIfA- But of course Tongan pride would not appreciate such home-truths. As the article points out, opposition (or criticism) is not acceptable to the powers-that be in Tonga. Sydneysider’s Pacific peregrinations are always interesting. —Yours, etc.,

“A European.”

Sydney.