Housing for Tongans by Tongans

Mana (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 5, 1 September 1977, Page 7

Housing for Tongans by Tongans

With the increasing numbers of Tongans arriving in New Zealand to settle permanently it is known that to house them in a more compact society such as in all western countries - Housing will always be an opposition to overcome.

Recent settlers into urban areas, as in Auckland, find their paramount concern to be how to purchase a particular commodity in such a society. Pacific Islanders migrating to New Zealand must first search for a place to live - be it for an everlasting period of renting, (the majority of newly arrived immigrants exist upon renting for accommodation), boarding, and leasing. Thus let alone trying to purchase a property which is hindered by the highly priced commodity that requires a huge sum of money to set the ball rolling in depositing for a house. As it is always an every day dream for ordinary New Zealanders to buy a house - similarly to newly arrivals -

the Tongans here in Auckland have designed their own cooperative system whereby as an incorporated body that comprises of Tongans who have not owned a house but which is of importance in their

settlement into society as complicated and confusing than their Island home. Let us not forget that plots of land are prohibited by law in Tonga for any exchange of monetary value - thus it cannot be for sale.

Earlier this year a Tongan Metotisi Provident Society Inc. was established as a cooperative whereby members subscribe in certain amounts in periodicals: it averages that in the first group of 12 members has collected funds that enables three families to claim title into a property under the Society, and in the second group three families have acquired their respective property. All in all six families have been able to settle into properties that they will later claim upon payment from the Society of full title. 1 n a period of 8 months, the Society has built its assets from people > looking for financing to purchases of property to an amount of over $2,000 in property value.

Thus it can be seen that a

community in its own rights can overcome problems as purchasing of properties by a co-operative system whereby as an incorporated body that are sought out to help others

who cannot otherwise find the initial sum to deposit for a home. The first sign of tackling this feature of New Zealand living has been overcome without any directives from the necessary housing authorities here in New Zealand, reflects that communal values in Polynesia does help individuals and the community at large.