Independence!

But Tonga

Knows About

From a PIM correspondent in Nukualofa Whether you call it “full sover

eign independence” or just plain

independence, Tongans know

what independence means. Since the beginning of this century

they have been proudly indepen

dent in outlook, and have stood on their own feet in most other ways.

They have watched their neigh bours in Samoa, the Cook Islands and Niue benefit in all sorts of ways that Tonga has not been able to share in. These territories were supplied with well-equipped schools, taught by overseas trained teachers, their salaries and allowances paid from external sources.

There were scholarships for these people in New Zealand, or work permits after school days had finished. Their medical services got the same sort of assistance. Shipping and air services were developed, thus ensuring supplies of essential com modities. Industries were developed in an effort to encourage the islands to be self-supporting; and in times

of national disaster help has poured in from all quarters.

Independent Tonga has virtually developed her own education system and other specialised services, with little finance to do the job. What she had got she has earned.

She has found her own markets for produce, and developed her own transport. In times of national disaster she has merely tightened her belt another notich.

Not until hurricanes damaged Samoan and Fijian banana crops was Tonga able to export her own bananas, because New Zealand banana boats had earlier given priority to these “dependent” terri tories. When a juice canning factory was started in Rarotonga it killed off Tonga’s orange juice market in New Zealand.

Tongan children have had to apply to enter Australia or New Zealand for higher education and then to pay for it. Work passes for New Zealand are hard to get (and impossible to get in Australia).

In short, Tonga over the years has been getting the crumbs from the rich man’s table, while her near neighbours have been feeding generously at the same table. The difference is that they have been “unprotected” territories needing help and protection. Now Samoa is in dependent and the Cooks are self governing, but they are still getting help.

Complete independence will mean no change in the Tongan character.

Tongans know all about the facts of life, the hard way!