TRAGEDY OF TONGA

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 142, 12 March 1941, Page 4

TRAGEDY OF TONGA

Address By Dr. Lopdell At Travel Club The tragedy of Tonga at the present time resolved itself into the fact that the native population was nearly all suffering. with some preventable disease, added to which there was a poor standard of living, said Dr. J, C. Lopdell, speaking at a IVellington Travel Club reception yesterday afternoon. Dr. Lopdell gave experiences as district medical officer at Vavau. Nothing much could be done to help the people, be said, because the Government shut, its eyes to unpleasant facts and preferred to read reports which said that things were in order and running smoothly, when the opposite was the case. For instance, the Government took no steps to control the tremendous amount of prevalent preventable disease among young and old. A favourite way of describing Tonga was to call it “the last of the island kingdoms of the Pacific.” This was true only on paper. Tongams were apathetic, they controlled themselves through their Government, therefore the place was not so much a paradise as a real hell for many who lived there. Dr. Lopdell described the Tongans’ lack of initiative as “a 1 dreadful lassitude." Among other things which also looked well lon paper) were the ideas of free education, free medical services and free grants of land to all boys on reaching the age of 16 years.

Another speaker was Miss Diana Craig, who returned to New Zealand recently from England and Ireland. Miss Craig entertained the audience with some of the lighter side of her experiences on the stage while there. The chairman, Mr. R. R. Scott, welcomed the visitors, who included Mrs. Lopdell. Miss Martin (Nelson) mid Mrs. Robertson . (Auckland). Songs were given by Miss Ruth Sell and Airs. 11. O. Halvorsen, the accompanists being Mrs. Bernard Webb and Mrs. F. W. London.

Ilosesses were: Miss Amy Kane, rs. Vernon Sutherland, .Mrs. C. IV. ark, Mrs. Walter Gray and Miss N. Donovan and the secretary.