Leading Methodist says Tonga

needs more than prayers

“Gangs of unemployed youths frequently raid gardens for food and steal money and clothing from homes. The prison is full. Liquor, now too freely available, and homebrew made in the bush are directly connected with outbreaks of lawlessness.”

It srmds like a report on early 19th century Australia, but it’s a report on Tonga today, and it was given bold-type, double-column treat ment in the Tongan Chronicle of January 17.

The report, by the Rev. Dr. A.

H. Wood, a former president-general of the Methodist Church of Aus tralasia, and long-time resident of Tonga, originally appeared in The Missionary Review, Sydney, which is the official organ of the Methodist Overseas Mission.

In the report, Dr. Wood states that the simple, unsophisticated Tonga is a thing of the past. The population of Nukualofa has jumped from 3,000 in 1924 to 20,000 today. The crowd ing into the capital, says Dr. Woods, has been caused by the desire for education for the children and the lure of the cinema.

Crowds throng streets

He continues: “Of the whole population, more than 60 per cent, are in the main island of Tongatapu where the density is 500 to the square mile. AT the people’s food as well as bananas and copra for export come from this congested area. The shortage of gardening land is chronic. . . ”

“Young people under 21 years of age form 60 per cent, of the popula tion. Before 9 a.m. each day the streets of Nukualofa are full of streams of children going to the schools. All schools, government and the various missions, primary and secondary, are overflowing in num bers. In the evenings, crowds of young people throng the streets, sometimes bent on mischief. ‘The lack of employment for the greatly increased youth population is one of the country’s problems.

During the next 10 years, it is authoritatively stated, 1,400 em ployees will retire from the few trades and government positions available in Nukualofa; in that period over 11.000 school leavers will be seeking jobs.

“Gangs of unemployed youths frequently raid gardens for food and steal money and clothing from homes. The prison is full. Liquor, now too freely available, and home brew made in the bush, are directly connected with outbreaks of lawless ness.”

Signs of progress

However, Dr. Woods pointed oul that although it would be wrong to overlook the gloomy statistics, it would be equally wrong to overlook the bright side of Tonga.

He is full of praise for the ministerial and teaching staff sent to the Methodist Church in Tonga from Australia—particularly from Victoria.

He mentions the advanced section of Tupou High School as a sign of progress in Tonga. With a history of four years, this section has had “amazing” successes, first in the Vic torian Intermediate Certificate, then the Leaving Certificate and, lastly, Matriculation.

Tongans need more than prayers, says Dr. Woods, and adds: “. . . The standard of education has risen just as the general problems —material, intellectual, spiritual— have intensified. Tonga should have the very best we can send—and time is running out.” • A new Tongan primary school syllabus—the first major revision of the syllabus in 27 years—will be tried out this year in three primary schools. The syllabus has been pre pared by primary school headmasters, mistresses in infant schools, and Training College lecturers under the direction of the Education Officer, Mr. Na’a Fiefia. Geography and history are to be combined as “social studies”, drawing and handiwork will be combined as “arts and crafts” and garden work is to be included in “nature study”. Other subjects are: Tongan language, English language, environmental mathematics, physical e J Mn ? ti o n. health education and music.