News Bulletin

Mana (Auckland), Volume 2, Issue 2, 20 April 1978, Page 3

News Bulletin

1. Despairing shoppers had unwelcome confirmation of their worst suspicions with this week’s statement from the Government Statistician’s Office that Tonga’s consumer price index has risen by 6.6 points for the January-March quarter.

The rise in the index from 127.9 to 133.6 represents a 4.4 per cent increase over the figure for the last quarter of 1977. The consumer price index one year ago was 123.4.

The most significant sectional increase was the 6.9 per cent increase over the previsous quar-’ ter in food prices. Prices for local staples (yam, taro, kumala, etc.) remain much higher than usual because of the severe disruption of supply caused by the six month drought before Christmas, though of course some imported items also show an increase. It is expected that prices for locally produced staples will return to earlier levels once supplies return to normal.

Other sections to show increases, often moderate only, are: household goods — 0.6 per cent; miscellaneous goods and services — 0.2 per cent, apparel —• 5.9 per cent; and housing — 4.4 per cent. On the other hand, transportation, tobacco and alcohol registered no change.

2. Disruptions of food supplies, even without the ravages of drought and hurricane, are of course not unknown in Tonga. There was, for instance, no sugar in the Kingdom over Christmas and the New Year, and sporadic shortages of potatoes, onions, butter or flour are a fact of life here. So after last weekend’s wharfside difficulties, gloomy prophets are having a field day.

Early in March, the Union Steamships’ vessel Marama was unable to berth because of the high winds, so she continued to NZ, with her cargo, promising to return on 2 April with that cargo and the next lot.

April 2 arrived, and so did the Marama. But so also did the Kalia, Pacific Navigation (Tonga) Ltd (PNT)’s vessel, carrying some 1200 tonnes of cargo, including 400 tonnes of aid rice and flour as hurricane assistance for Ha’apai. On Saturday after-

noon, the Kalia was given permission to berth and discharge cargo, provided she shifted anchor at 5.00 p.m. on Sunday to make way for the Marama. As no cargo can be unloaded in Tonga on the Sabbath (12mn Sat. — I2mn Sun.), the Kalia was subsequently permitted to delay shifting anchor until 8.00 a.m. on Monday.

When that time came, however, mechanical difficulties prevented the starting of the main engine, and the Kalia’s master refused to allow his vessel to be towed away, claiming that the crew and harbour would be placed at risk. With an eye to her own sailing schedule, the Marama consequently departed, again without unloading her cargo.

Many are suggesting that this will cause serious shortages in Nuku’alofa, though PN(T) asserts that because the Kalia brought cargo this is not so. Some of the most vocal protesters are local poultry farmers. One woman insists that because her standing order of 12 tonnes of chicken feed was carried away fror the second time, thousands of chickens face starvation. The Department of Agriculture agrees that at least 20,000 chickens on local poultry farms are threatened with food shortage. It is small consolation to these farmers that PN(T) regrets any inconvenience that may arise because it stuck to its policy of unloading cargo that has been brought. What difficulties there may be for other people remain to be seen.