THE TONGAN GROUP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21195, 28 November 1930, Page 8

THE TONGAN GROUP.

WORK OF THE MISSIONS. ALLEGED EXAGGERATED STATEMENTS. (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, November 27. A defence of the work of the missionaries in the Tongari Group was made to-day by Mr J. C. Rich, who replied to the statements which were made by Mr W- Allsop, an Auckland architect. It is the common practice to-day to missionaries,” said Mr Rich, but Mr Allsop’s remarks cannot ,go unchallenged, for he, to say the least, has censured the missionaries and slandered the natives. I have no interest in the missionaries, but his remarks exaggerate- the position, and his knowledge seems to have been gained in Nukualofa, where I suspect he has listened to cyni T cal, embittered gentlemen—familiar personalities on that beach—-and envious traders who compete with the missionaries for the native’s dollar. I do not agree with the cannibal chief who likes the missionary best directly after the fish, nor do I care to see the missions fleecing the natives as they do, but they certainly do not deserve the ill-favoured condemnation that it is the habit to bestow. But there is always the other the picture. My acquaintance with Tonga extended over two years’ residence there. By speaking the native language, by frequently visiting the French Fathers, and being associated in a business capacity with the Free Church of Tonga, I became acquainted with the’ missionaries. I lived in the back country on a plantation and’in Nukualofa, the port and seat of Government. Although the churches are fairly numerous, they legitimately fill, the requirements of the natives of Holy Tonga, as it has often been called. Tbe Tongans almost to a man belong to one or another of the religious denominations in the country. Church is the natives’ chief social recreation, and in the up-country villages it substitutes the ‘ movie ’ house such as his more fortunate brethren in Nukualofa enjoy. . “ A couple, of wooden churches, the size of a drawing room of a bungalow, and a couple of native perscms who live principally by working their small plantations, such is the typical village parish, but the church is conducted by native parsons who are villagers, not white missionaries living ‘.in the lap of luxury.’ In Mua, the largest village containing a few thousand inhabitants, there is a large Roman Catholic Church, and it is an imposing structure. Perhaps the altar did cost £4OO, the price Mr Allsop quotes as the cost of some of the altars in Tongan churches, but there is another side of the story, A French Father spent the best of his lifetime building that church. He laboured for 27 years, living alone in the village and working with a. party of converts cutting up coral blocks, conveying them to the site of the church, and gradually, with many difficulties, at last realising his ambition—a handsome Catholic church for all time. As Mr Allsop is an architect he might have interested himself in such a church and learned of that great labour of love and not have returned with his disparaging remarks regarding pretentious churches and costly altars. “ ‘ The natives will steal anything from a cow to a chicken to give the church donations’ is a most unwarranted indictment and is unfair to a people known for honesty. The Tongan trait is to beg, not to steal, and begging is most effectual, as it is unpardonable not to give anything requested. For two years I left my house in Nukualofa continually wide open, my camp in the bush unattended, and although natives were continually about not a thing was ever taken. They will sell anything to obtain the money to give the missions at collection times. They will offer for sale tapa cloth mdts, pigs, fowls, etc., at ridiculous' prices just to obtain collection money for the sake of their pride as I understand it, as of course the natives know it is their natural duty to give. lam an independent witness with no interest in the missions. Champion of the missionaries is a new role to me, but in justice to the country such statements as reported by the press should be refuted.”