IN TONGA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 562, 17 July 1909, Page 6

IN TONGA.

THE KING AND HIS PARLIAMENT.

PHILOSOPHY: AND POLITICS

For those who suffer from the discontent and satiety that are, the price of over-civilisa-tion,", there, can be no better tonic'than tho Tonga Government : Gazette. Our correspondent in Tonga has -'forwarded -us a copy of, tho' issue of July G, aid if the Gazette is- always as 'interesting, as . this, issue,\ it should be able, with a little advertising, to secure a large nutnbor of- In tho copy under noticb there are published the King's' Speech at the opening of Parliament, the. Address-in-Reply, and tho King's Speech at the closing of the session. ' ''.' His.Majesty (King Georgo Tobou II) is,a gentloman whom it. must be a pleasure to meet.; One rises from a perusal of.his.un-. paralleled remarks with a distinct feeling of-envy'of,tho Tongans, and a strong desire to 'have his. Majesty : take, the' place- of Lord' Plunket. Probably, however, JEng. George

would be more at homo in;the pulpit. He cannot refor,, to anything without a hurst of pious gratitude.' Biblical allusions ooze from him.-Thanks exude, from , his every .pore. He splendid wisdom oLthe. copy-book. 'But quotation: is; much; '.bettor than description, and any ■person 'who can rGaaV/th«quotatibns;-given below;without feel-' ing 'his ; : spirit flooded with [ the" 'peace 'of .the morning ■ of. "the 'world-- must have, a "thor- ' oiighly bad heart, or a; vilely disordered liver.- !• The "average -.Kin^ , or -iGoverriment .is 'a : little particular in its , .'desires.. , -! .'Even .-Sir Joseph Ward requires something material to spur him to gratitude. But King George's simple nature is more easily satisfied. He \s\ grateful, ovon astonished, to find himself alive:— 'In reviewing past/; apd'noting ;the changes' in the._ Government,.of .other countries, I am astonished,, but gratified, to be in a position'to open the proceedings of the present Parliament.' last ( session, three years ago, to; how many -of the poople- of other '.countries have, .had their' lands . alien'at'ed, sand : ., how much sorrow there is in consequence of their being compelled to resign;sv&ir right of ■GcVernment., Yet, Tonga is-still under: it own .Government. ■'■' And then comes this sound piece of sontentiousness : : > "Change is the order of time; and'what is,' is'remoyed,/an<l what is not, appears; should,wo^:oo astonished thereat?" ' One certainly feels -in at it would be an impertinence to do so. -s '■)'"■':'■■ ' .. : , 1 The' Speech' proceeds on ''lte,.-. thankful course, and explains w.hy> ; .'tho r: -Tongans should : all. : throw up their hats:.. f.'Just- consider the position.;.of the-nations.; ; Have wars ceaseaf Are there not proparationa for war ? There, have been earthquakes. and tidal"' waves' 'of a '.violent' ; nature; ■■ causing great loss of lifo and destruction of property; 'and. much ..distress', prevails.;. . Note the action of European and other powerful nations in tho Eastern and:. Western pacific. It/is true that 'Niuafopu: has: been:visited by. a disastrous hurricane,,..but our' suffering has been slight as compared: with, disasters in older countries: .We: aro. thankful to tho Lord for His mercy.,:, Only we. in Tonga; have .enjoyed the Jong-continued Jpsp'ority of ''which.l- speak." >:,.; :i -'' -■'-It would be a ; niistake'::to" suppose, that Germany- and Britain, are the-only nations with a.i.world: policy so/momentous ;as to cause anxiety and breed' enmities..-."Anothor matter,". says,the"Kingi: "Some-are troubled i,u mind at our increasing friendship, with Great -Britain and- other powerful nations." But, ; as- theV King goes on to explain, , it.ia all part of •'•'the working: of destiny. : As. he "remarks, -pith .great force and- brevity:' "flow about the great image Daniel saw?" The thing, obviously, does not'admit of argument. Now and then we catch the 'ring of a familiar phrase.' Was'itj : perhaps, one of Sir Joseph Ward's speeches "which supplied, the ; rotund finish of■ | the.following senteric&:.. "If - the ' happiness';'of; Tonga is, not yot realised,- it is ; 'hedauso'..we_;have not yet fully': grasped ■■ the i 'idea - that it .is the •.- first business of : l'arliamont to promote, the general happiness and secure rightful freedom for all." : George; is "creeping! up." Statistics are not;'numerous:in the Speech.'But those'relating given,' and the'Kina'3 observations upon. them - suggest that;> he";' must : have'..Tead■, Sir Joseph AVafd's' Inv-ercargill .in : which 'gratification was expressed'at the. fact .that 'Vthe fall' in .revenue - was- , "only". :£5_4,_000.;.;. "In contemplating- the--.;-present' p6sition, ? '•-.' says the King,:"we cannotbut rejoice, i In: the year 1906 'our population was 21*232; .but to-day the. census 'proves -a population: of, 21,695, the -increase;.:being-463.',:; - : ,-.. : "I remember saying at ! the. opening of a former - Parliament that- 'the existence'. of Tonga, from: hour to hour,'is like a century.' ". : That.-is .another of this.genial ■King's observations: ;It : is '• jlist. thp' iind of thing ho would say. ..-,The;,Addres's-in-Reply is not notable. It-is brief,, and full-_ of varied rejoicings: But tho,,King!s closing speech :is eplendid. ■ I The session, ;it should be said; opened on May. 19 ? and closed on May 28; It lasted; that is to. say, nine days. But totho optimistic and genial eye of tho King, tno3e nine days were , an epoch, and: Parliament's labours .world-shaking. He refers to great; and valuable';work." of the session, and.feels "glad , that.you : Chiefs who' have borne'■ tho' burden- of Parliament are well." .And !to :thiuk;that nobody in New Zealand was- sufficiently;,good-natured to feel pleased that our.own member's were able to sit up and'-take-nourishment after their recent ■■ overwhelming labours!

"Wβ marvel," Bays tho.King, ."that Tonga exists to-day." .: Hore is a really cheerful spirit. He goes on, to cotnpar© Tonga to Babylon and Media and Persia and.Greece and Rome. .'.'Just ,no£6": he begins in bis pleasant manner. .Babylon, .he points out, had its morning,• but. the. night;.'cane.. And Tonga, despite its prosperity, and its extra 463 citizens! and , its King's cheerfulness, is feeling old like Babylon: "We- begin to feel evening approaching." ■ A ! note of sadness creeps into the speech: "We.close this Parliament this day, and -from :.it begins the period to. the nest Pariiameait. ■.: I; respect this day as...there,Js no ono who can-have the slightest dreain of what.' will occur during the poriod. from 1909.; to. 1912.. ;Sh:ll we all'bo here,or not? By that time / what will have happened to the GbvenlhieiH of Tonga?" .One hopes that, it -will still.,be ahl6 to issue 'Gazattee, miywaj., ;:';'v v '