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Documents Relating to New Zealand's Participation in the Second World War 1939–45: Volume III

243 — The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific (Suva) to the Secretary of State for the Colonies1

243
The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific (Suva) to the Secretary of State for the Colonies1

5 January 1941

The Tonga Government has agreed to:

(a)

Increase its defence force to 30 officers and 450 other ranks.

(b)

Provide the force with three months' continuous training and more if required.

(c)

Accept operational control by the Officer Commanding Troops, Fiji.

(d)

Welcome key personnel from New Zealand.

(e)

In the interests of efficiency, request a New Zealand officer to take over command of the local force, the present Commandant to be a Staff Officer, next in rank to the Commanding Officer, to advise on Tongan affairs.

2. Estimates are not yet completed, but the Tonga Government has offered to provide £20,000 annually for the next two years, £5,000 from revenue and £15,000 from surplus funds. This island's spirited offer was entirely voluntary.

3. I will telegraph further when estimates are received from the Agent and Consul,2 together with his views on the proposed contribution by the Tonga Government.

1 Repeated to the Governor-General of New Zealand.

2 Mr A. L. Armstrong, CMG, OBE; Agent and Consul, Tonga, 1937–43.