From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 13, no. 3, October 1998.

It was important for Tonga to make up its mind on whether to link its legal practices to the British legal system or to the Australian and New Zealand legal system, Laki Niu, the president of the Tongan Law Society told a dinner to mark the end of the 1998 Tonga Court of Appeal.

The Tongan Law Society hosted the dinner at the Dateline Hotel on August 7 for the visiting judges, Mr Justice Burchett, Mr Justice Tompkins and Mr Justice Beaumont.

Mr Justice Burchett said Tongan lawyers had a responsibility to avoid chaos and to maintain justice and peace in the society. It was their, “responsibility to bring the people who hold power in the society under the law.” He said that the present set-up, with New Zealand and Australia providing appeal judges, was the probably the most successful joint venture between the two countries.