LOYALTY ISLANDS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1595, 12 November 1912, Page 5

LOYALTY ISLANDS.

KINO WAtRIAMA'S DESIRES. »■ By Association—Ooirrieht {Eec. November 11,'11.30 p,'riu) • Sydney, November 11. Mr. Jacob Wjttriaina, who claims the Kingship of the loyalty Islands, lias liad on interview with the Federal Ministers. Ha stated that the 'islanders desired to place the group under tho control of tho Commonwealthv If it W.ns not taken over hs Australia it soon would bo in tho possession of'.tlie Japanese, as about sii' thousand Japanese:, including many, soldiers and ,spies, we're working the nickel mines, . ■'.■' Tho Ministers! promised. that Cabinet would give consideration to the matter,, A MONABCH IN'EXILE, ' It is: 22 years since Mr. Wntriania came to Sydney, Tho story Which he tells is- : that he quarrelled with his. father,. r thft ; late native Icing, because he consented to ; the. I'rench • establishing i. protectorate over tho islands.. Whoa the final decision was given ho rallied a number of his friends round him, Was provided with funds, and came over-to Sydney, On 'arrival in Sydney he took. work as, a: gardener at Paddington, and later on '.became' a coachman; and did Other wotk. ■ Watrisran/s■ mother later found out'his ; whereabouts,.and put away from him the need for work. ■ prance's first recognition -of Watriania,. ns priuco cams about eight year? ago. It took the shape of. an invitation to France, and Was sent direct in the native kingThe latter had it sent on to Sydney, and Watriaina went over to France, and. became the President's, guest.. : The. incident of thei ; inyitation..di.d. not lead to rfioouciliiition between Watriama and' his. father. . Hp disliked French administration, and in contradistinction had ; the Warmest admiration, for British niethv.. 1 tids, It haS ! since been his aini to try to get the protection, of Britain substituted for: that of Franca. .' .Watriania served as ..a corporal in tlio Boer War under Lord Jiethuen. He be-. caine. .possessed. <rf consi'de.rdblo meansupon the death of his father and is. to* day independent. Eaiseime, 'his brother, at present acts aiEegentin the Loyalty Islands, Watriama declaring, that he will not go- back while, the French 'lipid. -sWay;.. ■' The Loyalty Islands are a group.about ■ 100' miles east, of. New Ciiliedpniai with a total land area of about 1050 'square miles and. a population of 20,000. The French odhsidonng tho .islands to ; fc£- a depend' ency of New Caledonia, instituted a com- ■ mandant in 1864.