PREMIER OF TONGA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17956, 7 December 1932, Page 8

PREMIER OF TONGA

ARRIVAL IN AUCKLAND CONTENTED ISLAND STATE (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. The Prime Minister of Tonga, the Hon. Tugii, who is the consort, of Queen Salote. arrived to-day from Nukualofa with his eldest, son. They will stay in New Zealand till January 23 and then leave for Sydney where the prince, who is 14 years old, will enter Newington College, where his father was-educated. They were greeted by representatives of the Internal Affairs'Department and by business men connected with tho Island trade.

The Prime Minister said Tonga had been hit hard by the depression, but the Treasury had a’ £140,000 surplus, and even if the country .had no money the people would be able to live, because any male Tongau on reaching the age of 16 years received from the State - eight acres of land in the bush and a quarter acre in the village on which he must build himself a- home. On-bis death the land re-vertnd to the Crown. - Hr was compelled to grow coconuts on the bush land, and this was an insurance against starvation. Education was free and compulsory,- and 99 per cent, of the people could read and- write. The Tiaigans had proved themselves fitted to govern themselveswisely.-