Two students from the South Westland Area School in Hari Hari on the West Coast of New Zealand will come to Tonga especially to see the historical Coronation of Tonga's King George Tupou V on August 1.

Kendra Tuck a Year 12 student and Chadd Martin of Year 10 won a school competition last week that was initiated by Tonga's Chief Justice Anthony Ford, a former student at the school.

Mr Justice Ford said today that he contacted the school to organise a competition on Tonga and to pick two winners. He said he would pay for the winners and one of the teachers to come to Tonga and stay with him and his wife Velda at their residence for the coronation celebrations.

"The whole idea was prompted by the Coronation and the fact that it is a once in a lifetime event and a huge event not only in Tonga but also around the world. And just like in England and in Tonga you would have to be 60 or 50 years old to remember the last coronation."

The Chief Justice thought it would be a great experience to give the children down the West Coast of the South Island the opportunity to witness the coronation and visit a country they would not have otherwise gone to.

The competition was open to the whole school and each student that entered made presentations on Tongan artefacts as well as answered questions asked by school principal Angela Sloane. One of the judges was Shirley Arnold, a sister in law of Mr Justice Ford.

"The school reported that the amount of work and research the students did was just outstanding and suddenly in a part of New Zealand, which is pretty remote, unlike Auckland, you have this whole school focus on Tonga and it must have been a great experience for them," he added.

Tongan figure

The winning boy Chad had two pieces that he presented, one with a frangipani frame with a tiki and the other was a little Tongan figure with a woven frame. Kendra presented a flax basket and lovely artwork.

The two students will arrive in Tonga with their principal on July 29 and will stay in Tonga for a week.