THE TONGAN GROUP

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 116, 24 August 1910, Page 2

THE TONGAN GROUP

A SERIOUIS PROBLEM. J.... Auckland, August 20; I Mr. F. A. Wood, of who | lias returned from a It cruise, in conversation wii.i a .Star representative, gave some interesting impressions of the Tongan and: Fiji groups. He said:— | "I spent four weeks exploring the Tongan Group, and gaining all the in-1 formation I could, and it occurs to me I that there is a serious problem 'that the I Tongan 'Government will have to face if they wish to increase their exports, and consequent prosperity. 'At the present time about seven-tenths of their income is derived from 'the export of cppra, for which there is .an unlimited demand. The export of oranges is ibarred, owing to the fly disease, consequently tons ot fruit are rotting on the ground in every native village'. Some other disease has, attacked the bananas'. So that but comparatively few are exported, and grow- j era are neglecting' them as not worth j the trouble of- looking after. Pine-apples are not a success, and to crown all, disease has now attacked the cocoa-nut palms in various parts of the islands. If no .steps are Ibeing taken to cope with it, the whole island must soon become j infected. Diseased' cocoanuts are allowed to lie rotting on the'(ground, instead of being collected and burnt, consequently the disease must spread* "The 'labor question is another serious matter, the natives being too well off and too well-looked-after by the 1 Government to make it necessary for them to work. The usoial wages are a dollar a day, (but- then you get very, little work done in a dlay, and it is looked upon as a favor if they work for you at all. Europeans should therefore weigh the matter very carefully 'before embarking in cocoanut plantations aa an investment. With the failure of the copra industry, the income of' the Tongan Government would; practically cease. j