PROGRESS OF TONGA.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXI, Issue 2363, 7 March 1876, Page 2

PROGRESS OF TONGA.

The. New Zealand Herald' says ;—• " Civilisation progresses, for we are; inre- ;- ceipt of two newspapers, issued; at* Tonga, under, the rule of :King" George; - -First we have the Tonga Times, which.com-' menced to illumine the Pacific on the 22nd of January. -' -The' imprint is as ; 'folio w ;:— ■' Printed and published by Charles Hewer Rawsori, ,at the Government > fruiting Office, Nukualofa, Tongatabu.' ' The first page, which. is a: very small rone, is filled with advertisements, Jchiefly announcements of the iaUing:ofLvesa^ We are told that the Government schooner Taufaahau^ .sails regularly,'!' fr r om ,she Friendly Islands to Sydney, "that 'the brig Vision is the regular New Zealand, trader, that Captain McKenzie runs vessels regularly between Auckland, and theJFriendly Islands, and 'invites . inspection •of hia . goods, which cannot be surpassed '; and then we have aa advertisement about •the German fleet of Messrs J. Caesar Godeffroy and Sons'.' One advertisement is headed ' Industrial School, Tonga,' and in it we are told that the manager,.' Josiah; Vane, and the secretary, Attunaisa ; Taufa, of the institution, '*•*?: prepared' to take contracts for the bunding of cottages,. &c.' The next advertisement ria, ' Government Bank of Tonga, incorporated by Royal Charter, ,1875; capital 60,000 dollars, with power to increase.' The advertisement is signed •' J. P. Millar and John' Mataele, secretary.' Tonga also boasts of a ' photographic artist, by appointment to his Majesty King George Tubau,' but he announces that his visit is drawing to" a close. ,_A- ' Government Savings Bank ' is also advertised, and a 'City Commer-. cial Restaurant.' The first news, article is, as a matter of course, headed 'Ourselves, ' and in it the editor says • We desire to bring the Friendly Islands more prominently before .other parts of the world.' In the same article we find the" following :— ' We believe that, when the actual position of these island is properly made known, they will have the sympathy and admiration of all well wishers of races. For in no other part of the ■world do we think there is to be found,' ; amongst native races, the same desirable I state of things as are to be seen in Tonga — that of a native race relying upon its own innate, strength, trying ; to raise itself \ as a Government amongat thenations- of the earth. Its progress during the past : few years has been rapid in .the extreme : Raising itself from a dependent mission ?q that of a i' self-sustaining Qhurch,, provide ing and supporting its. own ministers and i agencies, and giving also men and money to send the Gospel to the adjacent iheathen island? of the South.' The motto of the paper is 'Tonga for Tonga.' The , Times 'goes in for 'Free Trade and Edui cation, and the editor declares that ■' we believe in a Voluntary Church, as now exists. in .Tonga, free, of all State aid.' ; Tonga is far advanced, but evidently the ; Tongese have entered into a land league, supported by the Times, for , the article says :— ' We hope the day ; will never dawn on Tonga when one inch of- Tangan soil shall be alienated by . purchase^ from the Tongese.' He, however, advocates, the leasing to bpna jitfc settlers. The, supplement to the Tonga Times js prin.cipajly occupied with an" account of the annual district meeting of the Methodist Church of these islands, which was held at the Wesleyan Church at Lifuka, Haabai. The account is exceedingly interesting. : :. ■ ■ "The contents of the first Tonga Government Gazette are of importance. The attention of the community is drawn "to an Act respecting trading licenses, to an Act to Regulate the Selling of Bread, to „ an Act to Regulate. Butchers' LicensSfc^ Quarantine laws for Tonga are also pub£^ lished, and it is notified that Mr John Scott has been appointed health officer and pilot. We are also informed that f his Majesty has been ' pleased 'so coro^ mand the publishing of the following appointments .-'—Members of the Privy Council are then given. Under the heading 'Ministry' we have the following names:— Premier, Prince David TJga ; Treasurer, Jemia Mafileo ; Minister, of Lands, Kaliobasi . Malubo ; Minister of Police; Lekonaia Tuuhetoka.