TONGAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13305, 11 October 1906, Page 3

TONGAN NEWS.

A NATIVE COMMITS suicide. , ' [from OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. l;iM Nukualofa, October 4. A vert unusual occurrence took place at th« neighbouring island of Haabai- last week, when a Tong'rin.committed suicide in a most determined manner by blowing bis bead off •. with a dynamite cartridge. From reports •received here yesterday "it 'appears 'that the v man ' had just stood hi* trial ' before Chief Justice Skeen for perjury, had been found guilty by the native jury, and sentenced to three years' o hard labour. He is said- to have made an attack upon one of the Tongan gaolers with a large cane knife, but the gaoler, being unarmed, took ■> to his heels and distanced his assailant. The latter, on the escape of his < intended victim, put a ; charge of dynamite into his mouth aiid : sot light to the fuse. .■■' *" >. . The schooner Ysabel. Captain Wm.' Ross, arrived ' from Auckland, via' Niue, ■ with a '•■■,' general cargo; dp' 1 September 21£ and sailed for Niuafoou;on.th&2slh Jnst.-,'. , By .last' steamer Sydney;, there was; a - large shipment of copra from Tonga, the'' total weight amounting ■to over 300 tons, . The natives are all busy making and drying copra, and the stor.esJ are" kept busy weighing it and bagging "for shipment. Most of the trade is cash." *"'"'"«,*;, v ' : : This has been a very < good Y year for ) oranges, there having been a continuous suc- ". cession on the trees for some months now. Last month's returns; from Auckland were . .very encouraging, some of< the shippers feet-. ting; as high as 6s 6d per case, which leaves" a fair margin of profit. Consequently* there will be a very : large lot going forward by this week's boat. The timber: work on the new wharf is completed. ; Two gang* of workmen .are. busy mixing' concrete and filling in the moulds." .