Governor-General plays pass the pig

By THERESA GARNER in Nuku'alofa

Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright has wound up her trip to Tonga by officially severing New Zealand's ties to a multimillion-dollar forestry aid programme.

In a forest glade on the island of 'Eua, to the sound of a brass band, Dame Silvia handed over a final contribution of $500,000.

The two countries have agreed that it is time for Tonga to run the project on its own as a commercial business.

Over three decades, New Zealand has poured $8 million into setting up and maintaining a tropical timber industry of pine and red cedar on 'Eau, a reef island containing Tonga's sole large tract of native forest, at 510ha.

Dame Silvia said that although one project was coming to an end, other aid projects were in the pipeline.

"Ties with Tonga will always continue, you can be sure of that."

She said her visit, during which she was a guest of honour at King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV's 85th birthday, had been fascinating.

"The friendship between our two countries has been demonstrated well and truly."

The plantation is one of New Zealand's longest-running aid projects. It was run in partnership with Tonga's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Tonga's Minister of Agriculture, Tuita, who is married to the King's daughter, Princess Pilolevu, said the project could not have happened without the help of the New Zealand Government, which began job training and scholarships for forestry staff in 1974.

Tuita said the Government would exchange the plantation for shares in Tonga Timber, in line with its policy of commercialising some of its services.

Princess Pilolevu said it was important that Tonga used sustainable methods in managing the plantation. Forests had been destroyed throughout the world.

"Even in Tonga, we destroy our trees and forget to replant and replace what we take out."

During the welcoming ceremony on the island, which is an eight-minute flight or two-hour ferry trip from Nuku'alofa, Dame Silvia was given a live pig in a wooden crate.

Logistics (six men were needed to lift the pig) compelled her to follow the Tongan tradition of passing gifts further up the hierarchy, passing it on to the Princess.

"More's the pity, because it is a very handsome gift indeed," said Dame Silvia.

Princess Pilolevu handed her a kava mixing bowl made from wood taken from 'Eau's oldest tree.

"This gift you can take back to New Zealand," she said.

Dame Silvia gave $5000 towards books for a school on 'Eau, "to mark His Majesty's great interest and advocacy of education in Tonga".

The five-day visit ended yesterday, after a church service attended by the royal family.