THE KINGDOM OF TONGA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2289, 28 November 1889, Page 2

THE KINGDOM OF TONGA.

Among the islands of the Pacific there are several independent fctates, with institutions modelled, more or less, closely after the pattern of those of the nations of the old world, whose efforts m the direction of self-government are by no means without interest to the political student. True, tbese little principalities — for m all of them the monarchical form of government is that selected, and m none is there any attempt at" the setting up of republican institutions — are, as compared .with European States, very diminutive, but for all that some at least bid fair to grow and prosper under the new regime, the establishment of which is due to the work of the missionary and the. pioneers of commerce. Prominent among such is the Kingdom of Tonga which, under the rule of King George, appears to be happy and prosperous. It has a Parliament, of a sort, it has its churches and schools, its judicial system, its royal palace and what not, even down to the King's own brass -band, which is, we believe, to pay a visit to the Dunedin Exhibition. And it has, fo, its area, a not inconsiderable trade with the outside world, and like any other well-ordered (State has just issued its official statistics for the half year ending 80th June, 1889 —a promptitude of publication which compares not unfavorably with the work of our own Registrar General Fora summary of these we are indebted to the "Auckland Herald" which furnishes the following interesting particulars :-—' " The figures for the June half of the present year are contrasted with the corresponding periods of 1888 and 1887, and the wonderful development shown tells that the Tongan rulers are at least taking great care to develope the material wealth of those small but fertile islands. The statistics before us are confined to trade and shipping, those relating to population, social condition, etc., not being included. The progress made ia steady and rapid, not only m utilising: the latent resources of the island, but the cash obtained from the sale of theproduce of Tonga is evidently not hoarded up, for the import trade shows equally expansive as the export trade. In round numbers, the import trade of the whole of the island from all places where, trada relations have been established, amounted, m the half year ending June 30th, 1887, to 60,267 dollars, which m the corresponding half "year of 1838 increased to 112,121 dollars ; and this sum was increased during the first half of the present year, to 133,140 dollars. This is. very satisfactory, but to show that* the islanders are not importing beyond their .means, it is only necessary to glance at the exports of Tongan produce during the same periods. In the first half of 1887 the value of Tongan exports was 63,132 dollars ; m the first half of 1888 the exports were 160,630 dollars^ and for the first Bix monthß of tja*. present year the exports ■* increased- to* 211,175 dollars. These are figures that indicate a very healthy social condition of the people, and show thaV though the Tongans are largely "irASraasing their purchases, they are at the same time converting tfie p^coducft of the islands into cash at a faster rate than they are sending it out for imports. Auckland is the port where the largest proportion qf their imports come from, and these increased from 27,668 dollars m the first six months of 1887 to 79,601 dollars m the first .half of the present year.. Lisbon is the port to which the largest, exports go, the value to that port, heing; 110,800 dollars; to Samoa they amounted, to 28,350 dollars, and to Falmouthi 31,072 dollars. ' Britain is thja nationality with which the largest amount off trade is done, though Germany is a good second. The value of imports and ex^ ports. to. British ports for the fusJi six months of the present year is returned at 195,740 while the vahiu «f the German trade for the same period X 141,799 dollars. The imports frbia German sources rose from 22,042: dollars m the first half of 1887 to 0,4,769 dollars m the corresponding period of 1889, but while Germa&y only took 86,639 dollars worth o£ Tonga]* produce m the first six months of the present year, Britain took 120,406 dollars worth. In the first half of 1887 th.c total German trade appears to ha?^ been 224,360 dollars, which, ; m 'the corresponding period of the present year, has shrunk to 141,79^ dollars. Drapery is the article amon^ the importswhich attains the larg^ B t proportions) being 84,235 dollars. 'The two items next m importance, ar e : meats, 5829 dollars, and d^esj^a " timber, 5802 dollars, foiled by '4963 dollars for rongh timbw}. , Of the articles of export, copra appears to be by far the most important swelling up to 205,726 dollars. The next m , importance is green fruit, to the value of 453& dollars, and wool to the value, of 4500 dollars. The figures we have^givett show the progress being mad<* by our neighboring Island Kingdom^ Tonea."