(as always)

Tonga's king is optimistic (as always)

The oil search, banana production, the teaching of English in schools and the use of computers in the Treasury were mentioned by King Taufa!’ahau in his optimistic opening speech to the 69th session of the Tongan Legislative Assembly on June 19. Optimism is one of the Tongan king’s many strong points, and in this case he is basing it on high hopes for oil.

The king said two oil companies had put forward acceptable proposals for oil investigations in the kingdom and a third company’s proposal was “under consideration”. However, he would not name the companies.

Hinting that members shouldn’t dally over getting Tonga’s oil search going, he said “quick passage” of oil legislation was needed so that surveys and drilling could begin “at the earliest possible time”.

The king said banana and copra production had dropped this year

and he “regretted certain prejudices” on the NZ market against Islands bananas. While on the subject of agriculture, he mentioned pineapple growing and suggested that growers try it on a commercial scale.

He said the Tongan Government had investigated employment abroad.

“There are encouraging signs that one of our larger near neighbours may be able to take a quota of Polynesian labour,” he said. Tongans selected for overseas work would have to have a “clean record” and would not have tried to leave Tonga

illegally.

"Progressive step"

The king did not say which country might take Tongan workers.

A “computer service” would be used for the first time this year in Tonga—in the Government Treasury.

It was a “major progressive step” and

could spread to other government departments and business houses. He said results could modernise current programmes and calculate more ac curately future needs.

The king advocated a “crash pro gramme” of teaching English in schools. More Tongan children were passing through schools and they would be looking for jobs in trades, where understanding of the language was essential.

Tonga appreciated its foreign aid, which amounted to about $1 million a year from the US, the UK, Aus tralia and New Zealand, and this was equivalent to about half the king dom’s working budget. It could re pay this by doing its utmost to “contribute to the call of progress”.

King Taufa’ahau said that towards the end of this year Sir Arthur Porritt, Governor-General of NZ, and Lady Porritt would visit Tonga and that next year he himself would make a state visit to NZ.