He went especially for the purpose of visiting the Free Church of Tonga as the guest of the Rev J.B. Watkin, who has been president of that Church since the year 1885. The Free Church is by far the stronger, and numbers some 17,000 people as against some 4300 in the Wesleyan Methodist Church.
Mr Pratt added that the Free Church had a fine church building in every one of the 141 villages of the Friendly Islands, and the Methodists had some 78 churches. Both bodies had day schools and the Methodists had a college for the higher education of the Tongans. The Roman Catholics numbered some 3000 adherents; Mormons and Adventists counted a mere handful, and the Anglican Church had a few white people who were under the pastoral care of a Chinese minister. The Free Church had 78 native ministers in its employ.
Some tips on tipping
A correspondent asks whether it is necessary in reckoning the cost of travel in New Zealand to add a percentage for tips. Not necessary, perhaps, but it is advisable. There are services that you buy with your railway ticket and pay for at the ticket window — the services of the engine driver, the stoker, the guard. But if you want a station porter to carry your bags, a tip seems indicated. So of all services that depend on good will.
Health Dept praises Peter Buck
"We understand the Maori, and he understands us." "In these words," says the report, "Dr Te Rangihiroa (Dr Buck) represents the results of his excellent work among his compatriots." Under the Health Act of 1920, Dr Te Rangihiroa has been able to arrange that the councils controlling the Maori health districts should be administered through the department. By these means a great work has been accomplished in the interests of the health of our Maori countrymen. Excellent work has also been done under the direction of Dr Te Rangihiroa as regards anti-typhoid inoculation of the natives as compared with a few years ago. The Maoris are, as Dr Te Rangihiroa says, generally speaking, amenable to prophylactic treatment, except where they come under the influence of the ignorant Pakeha. It is also a triumph to Dr Te Rangihiroa and his predecessor, Sir Maui Pomare, whom his Majesty has been pleased to honour, that owing to their example and advice the general health of the Maori has been so improved that an increase of 5 percent is recorded in the population returns, and the fact that during recent large gatherings, or huis, where some thousands congregated together, not the slightest fault could be found with the sanitary arrangements."
No new nurses needed
It is stated in the Health Department’s report that 73 nurses from overseas have been registered, their certificates from their training schools still being accepted as the state registers of England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, have not yet been published. In future it will be advisable to require from all applicants from countries where a nurses’ registration law is in force proof that they have been registered in the country from which they come.
ODT, 16.9.1922
