Slow Cargo To Tonga

-And No Variety

Quality at the right price—that’s what Tonga importers demand. Goods from Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zea land and from all parts of Europe can be found in the kingdom.

And yet, because the importers concentrate on the basic re quirements of the people, there is a grave lack of variety.

BETTY SANFT, in Nukualofa, writes:

Like other Pacific Islands, Tonga imports everything from pins to bull dozers, from flour to caviar. But here there are import restrictions on motor vehicles (including cycles), textiles, beer and spirits, fresh vege tables (potatoes and onions) and tinned fish.

Vegetables and fish can be supplied locally, though the big firms of Burns Philp and Morris Hedstrom would like to import more fish, which they could sell easily. Their chief grouch is the restriction on textiles, which is not apparent to the con sumer, except perhaps in the limited variety. Inquiries brought the ex planation that restrictions were imposed to safeguard a prospective manufacturer whose business did not eventuate, but this part of the code has remained.

Low prices

Individual traders rely on the services of overseas agents —firms and individuals who over a number of years have accumulated a specialised knowledge of the require ments and purchasing power of Islands people.

These agents play an important part in a trader’s imports and fre quently will secure a line without consulting him. I have seen cotton prints from Russia and curry from Hong Kong, selling at ridiculously low prices, at one store, and, in another, a line of quality coffee sets from East Germany.

The small traders cater mainly for the indigenous population, wisely leaving the supply of luxury lines to their larger competitors.

This policy of concentrating mainly on importing the basic re quirements of the people results in a grave lack of variety, so that the comparatively few people who desire the little extras in foodstuffs pounce on them when they are available.

Quality at the right price being the main consideration, goods from all parts of Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and (because of the con

venience of shipping) Australia and NZ are found in Tonga. NZ supplies Tonga with primary produce, buttei and fresh meat because she is the only country to run refrigerated ships to Tonga.

Canned beef from NZ, which has become almost a legend, is beinj ousted by the cheaper, inferioi product from Australia. Should frige rated cargo from Australia be available, traders would welcome competition and added variety.

Interviews with Tongan importers reveal that: • Small traders find trans shipping charges in Fiji excessive anc out of proportion to labour supply. • The Australian approach tc business is more aggressive and go ahead than the NZ approach. N 2 would lose trade were it not for the regular shipping service between N 2 and Tonga. • Both Australia and NZ fail tc let Tongan importers know wher they cannot supply goods. • Dispatch from Australia anc NZ is slow, probably due to poo: office routine.