ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE PREMIER OF TONGA. REV. SHIRLEY W. BAKER FIRED AT. HIS SON AND DAUGHTER WOUNDED. The Buggy Riddled toy Bullets. (From "Auckland Star.") (FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.) ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 191, 12 February 1887, Page 4

ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE PREMIER OF TONGA.

REV. SHIRLEY W. BAKER FIRED AT. HIS SON AND DAUGHTER WOUNDED. The Buggy Riddled toy Bullets. (From " Auckland Star.")

(FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.) ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

Our correspondent at Nukualofa writes under date 24th January as follows :— On Thursday evening, the 13th January, an attempt wag made by some escaped crimi Dale, who have for the last five months been secreted in the bush, on the life of the Rev. Shirley W. Baker, Premier of Tonga. As ho had made arrangamonts to proceed to Auckland in a few days by the mail, it necessitated an extra amount of work, and after dinner each evening he had t.een in the habit of going to the Government Offices and working late. Advantage was taken of this by the aforesaid criminals to make their dastardly attempt. On the evening in question, at about 20 minutes to 8, Mr Baker got into the buggy and as he had a new and restive horso in the trap, he told the driver that he would drive that evening, and that he waa to follow on with another horse. His eecond daughter, who was going down with her brother, «at behind her father, and Mr Baker's eldest. »■ on, Shhloy, eat beside her. The horee, being freeh, was travelling rather fast; but they had not gone tar when the horee shied at a native btanding in the road. Mr Baker's eon called out, "That mtn has a gun," and immediately jumped out of the buggy and commanded him to put his gun dovn, stepping towards him aa he spoke. Mr Baker's eon, seeing his lather -was aimed at, tried to screen him, and his daughter, who saw the man taking aim at her father, juuipod up and, throwing hor arms round hei father 'a neck, completely covered him, and in doing «o caused her father to give au extra pall on the reiu, and the horse swerved—when the mars fired, and shot Mr Bakers son in the left shoulder, completely carrying &way the flesh of the arm, and sruachiug the smaller bones into pieces. Mies Beatnco Baker was shot in three places in the thigh, ono buliet being co deep that the doctor uioughfc it bet=fc to lob it remain in. She met with u more f»eriou« injury in jumping out, of thu buggy ; fur the horse being sho., at mario a start jiif>t au >ho was jumping out, and ihrew her on her head ; and it is feared she lias seriously injured her «-piao. Immediately after the gun was fired her brot : ur called out that he was shot, when letting go her father she said, " I must f*o to Shiney, ho is shot ;" which she did, notwithfrtaudiug there were three other ruffians still standing with loaded gun«. Both Mr Baker's aon and daughter called out to him to escape, and the hurse, emaiting from its wound, bolted away, and toon put him out ot rifle shot of his wouH-be murderers. Mr Baker's son bore the pain of the extraction of the bones without chloroform or an> narcotic whatever. He is progressing favourably, and it co be iwpsd both Mr Baker's gon and daughter will be spared after their noblu and heroic conduct to save their father's life. The splash-board of MiBaker's buggy is completely riddled, and however he escaped is a miracle. It 18 a true buying, % Murdor « 111 out ; " and eeveral natives implicated in tho matter having turned Kings evidence, it ha? placed the Government in >\ position not only to prosecute the murdmeis, but many of their accomplices, and hi\s revealed an astounding state of things. A. loading "Wesley an n-mvo if, eaid to h -.vs been p'imo mover in *he .-{fair, and other Wcaleyons had not only devised tho echo- no, buf bid out the plan of a civii war m tha hnd. Although two days afi,er the affair they literally proclaimed %ay, yet the ringleaders being caught, the cowards soon returned to their homes. As the Government found the m attar more serious than at m^t n-aa s-upposed, they have Hworn fheir officials to eocrecy leet the people, who are intensely excited over the affiir, might bo led to t>»ka the matter into their own bancta and proclaim lynch law. So far, nofcwith-tfuuiiu^ thoro are Borne 700 fighting trnn ovar hero from Haabai and Vavau, the utmost tuey have done is to kill a few pigi <>elcn^in^ to Mr Moulton and hi 3 adherents. This dastardly affair, ct mini* duectly on the fact of twenty-four VYe^evan native* in the new militia refusing to take the oath of allegiance (fourteen of wLoru wore College boys and ihe re=it prominent adhe\ent^), looks very suHpiciouv, and more especially as the very ipaderaof tho.uffiir are some of •'he rebels (concerning whom tho Kiri£ appealed to the Wesleyau Conlerenoe in 1880 without avail. It is well for Europeans of fhe Wesley an persuaeion th*t ilr Baker wan not fthot ; for they would have hud no mercy suown to them. The British Pro-Consul h"s thanked the King for the prompt manner in which the murderers have been captured, and the measures used in restoring peace and order. The murderers are now awaiting their trial. The British Pro-Consul, and tho German ViceiCopßul, and Dr. Bucklanu, have severally requested the King to institute a special court for their trial j but, aa every day affords fresh evidence, they may not be tried for a few days yet. It 18 rather unfortunate that the very leaders of this affair are those rebels whose liberty Sir W. De Vceux interested himpolf ia obtaining a few years ago. The result of the murderous attack has been that hundreds have joined the Tree Church. The exprepsions of sympathy with the Premier and his family have .been universal both amongst the whites and natives. All the four criminals have professed for the last few woeks to be Roman Catholics, whereas one only was a Roman ntholic, the others Wesleyans They ran away from gaol a few months ago, notwithstanding they were heavily ironed — one of the gaolera, it is supposed, helping them to escape. They were all longsentence men.

I have taken advantage of the departure of the schooner Maile for Auckland to forward you some facie relative to affairs in Tonga, after the shooting of Mr Baker's eon and daughter, which Occurred on January 13th at 7*30 p.m , within 100 yards of the king's palace. Mr Shirley Baker, junior, waß shot through the left arm, close to tke shoulder, the trallet carrying the bone clean away from

the flesh Three slugs struck Miss Baker, who throw tierßelf between her father and the asaasein, one slug smashed the lamps of the carriage, and two others went through the dashboard. One of the latter struck the carriage horse, which immediately dashed off, throwing Miss Baker to the ground and severely injuring her back. Mr Baker dashed off in search of assistance, leaving his son and daughter, who managed to walk to the house of Falafehe, about 40 yards off. Mies Baker, although wounded in several places, kept up for some two or three hours till she saw her brother's injuries attended to, and then she was forced to succumb, and it was found that she had been badly wounded. On the Sunday and Monday following, four men, who were suspected of having perpetrated the outrage, gave themselves up to the authorities. They said that they pursued this course to save their friends from being looted. Many others were also arrested, and Mr Baker sent ordera to H^abai and Vavau for the people to come and punish the Tongans who had allowed the shooting to occur by not securing the four men referred to, they having been outlawed, and living in the bush for some months, defying anyone to take them. Some assert that these men could not have made the attack on Mr Baker becauat? they were seen twelve miles away about the same time. Mr Baker states that he was attacked by several men and that he saw two flashes, so he concludes that the would-be assassin had a double barrelled gun, or etee that there were two men firing, one covering the other. On Tuesday four boats camein from Haabai, and several bra^e cannon and ammunition were placed on board the Sandfly for use in case of emergency. Further arrests were made on Wednesday, and the people were in a very excited condition. The common gaol was found to be inadequate to meet re quiremenijS, and a new lock-up was constructed. Some of the prisoners were shamefully treated by the soldiers. More boats arrived from Haabai on the 20th, and the echooner Malokula, crowded with men, also arrived. They fired off their rifles on approaching the wharf, and as s on as they were landod, commeuced to make things very lively.

The Prison Attacked. They attacked the prison, emashed in the door, putting a uumber of shots through it, and demanded the prisoners to cut them up (although ifc is probable that many of those arrented are innocent). Not being given thoir own way, they then commenced tiring ball cartridge in all directions, ooted several houses, and shot some pigs and fowls belonging to the Wesleyan natives. Mr Moulton appealed to the Consul for protection, v* the intruders were firing iv the direction cf the college, and this was given by the posting of notices warning an\one from interfering, and hoisting the British flag over the property. Ah Messrs Moulton and Gibs were walking along, a shot wie fi>-ed which paestd clo^o to them and fall on the road where it was picked up and brought to them by a woman. A bullet, aleo passed clopq to Mr Richelraan, and another bullet entered an unfortunato dog near tho eatne spot. On the 21dt, tho Haabai men ecatteied iv sevoial directions, looting the Weeloyane until they were stopped by the King, when they were about to extend operations to the country, Whilst at the Consulate with Mr Parsons the despoilors had possession of a pig and come fowls, but ►they were driven oil' by the inhabitants, leaving their spoil behind. Subsequently Ihey fired at a Fakogo (Wesleyan) ; he fell, just giazing hie head. The inhabitants by thi3 time were in a state of great terror, the King's authority bting apparently insufficient to check tho career of tho desperadoes. On tho 22nd the schoouer Falaogogo and boats srxived i;i>u» Va\au and landed a largo number of men, but these proved much quieter than those v\ho pievioue'y came from Hasbai. The latter, assisted with others from the Bea, continued to loot wherever opportunity pie->-ented itself. In the afternoon Mr and Mrs Moulton were fired upon by a man whom thuy failed to recognise, but it is supposed the tiring was only done to frighten them.

Free Church or Wesleyan ? Things grew hoaa bad to worse, till the doctor tound it necessary to o>"dor provisions for the visitors to prevent rhem from looting, thoy having robbed the We&leyans and al<?o forced ranny 01 the latter to join tbo Free Chuich, io the hope ot saving their property. On the 23rd, Kalebi, the Chief of Houma, came in with all the Wofleyans from that town, having been driven away from their homoa and their property appropriated by the Government men. Notwithstanding this persecution, however, the Wesleyan ear vices were well attended, ,xnd this evening pervice at the college was ciowded. Things were quieter that rfay, and wo only heard a I few guns fired by the Morulato. which had ' arrived wilh more men, v. ho landed quietly.

Patting on the War Paint. There was le?s excitement, on ihe Monday tallowing, but I observed that the warriors had painted their facee afreph, and as the Maile loaves for Auckland to day, it ia thought possible that they are watching her departure to commit new oxcees6e.

Causes of the Trouble. Mr Baker is considered by both nativo* and Europeans to be greatly to blame for bringing these men from fiaabai and Vavau. Itia said that tbe King reluctantly gave his consent to their corning, aa the outlaws nad previously given themselves up. Mr Baker paid that he , would send some of the men b^ck at once, but ho Uid not do co. So far as I can learn no European has done more than to call the attention of some natives to a paragraph in the papers recounting an assassination, and telling them that that was the way in which tyrants wore eerved in Borne places. The attack on Mr Baker was probably the result of continual actß of oppression by the Government and its subordinate official* ex-tending over eeveral years. Theoutlawe were supported by the people, so that the Government could not take them, and their act was probably the act of a large portion of the inhabitants. Dissatisfaction prevails from one end of the kingdom to the other. Everything goes to the Government, which, it is alleged, takes tv/o thirds of the entire produce of the country, thus reducing the natives to poverty and ruining the trades. Yet they are afruid to resent this condition of thingK for fear of making them worse. It is impossible that this can continue, and if the King should die Mr Baker would be placed in a very awkward pofition. Mr Baker attributes the bad times to the failure of the nut crop, but we have had eeveral failures during the ten years I have fatten here, and yet have never suffered as we do now. In former times, however, the Government took half of what is collected at present and the tax was often remitted after hurricanes. The population, too, is rapidly diminishing, foe as the people become disheartened they eucctynb to disease, and they fear to speak because everything is done in the King's name. The King is now m his dotage.

How Taxes are Levied. The total produce of the country has been estimated at from £50,000 to £70,000 annually, but lost year owing to bad nut crops and the low price of copra the returns

will not total more than £45,000 from all sources. The Government taxes are as folio we :— Poll tax, £1 16* ; To bule Koes, 4s ; education, 4s; lease of hute for making copra, 4b ; ditto for yarn plantation, ss ; ditto for abi, 2s ; each horse (entire 20s), 4a ; dog, Is ; dray, 4a (a spring cart is taxed 20s); boat £1. Total £4 4s. It is estimated that the average tax direct amounts to £3 Is- per head of taxpayers, of whom there are about 12,001, exclupive of the unmarried women, who pay 8a per annum until they are married. The above taxes are collected quarterly, and if not paid defaulters may be, and usually are, charged extra for the first quarter, whilst if the taxes are not paid before the year's end the amount is doubled, and properties may be sold up at a further coat of £1 to the owner. If the people owe money and are summoned for debt, the summons costs 14s, und they may not geb credit for more than £3. The court ie a) way a full of caeca from that amount, down to sums of 4a For fast riding the line and summons is 345, for having no shirt or outer garment, 30a. Many natives have been fined on the lust charge because they have been seen minus their shirt when in their own houses. Every year taxeß are increased, whilst the means of paying them are decreasing, all boasted improvement being so much etrain on the country without any corresponding return. The revenue derived from the Police Courts is a prolific source to the Government, the expenses being merely nominal,

A New Way to Convert the Heathen. Of course the Wesloyans get the full benefit of these lawn, so that many of them are in prison because they could not pay ; others have joined the Fiee Church or the Catholic* to save their property and themselves from persecution. Perhaps you can find space for just one instance. A Wesleyan native was employed by a European to trade for him in place of another native who had only been employed aeven days on hie license. The European wus under the impression that the one license would do (as is the case with Euiopean traders), but having some doubts about it he went to the judge, who told him that he was wrong, but that as the man had acted for two days only it -would be all right if the necessary license was taken out. Then a new judge came in and he refused to leave (he license. Further, he fiued the nativo 110 dollars for trading without a license, and when the European offared to pay the fine, refueed it unless the native agreed to join the Free Church. This is one instance out of many that; are continually occurring. The taxes paid by Europeans also amcunt to a sum out of all proportion to the business done, and as it tho people were uot sufficiently taxed, duties are levied amounting to 10 per cent, ad oalorcm. In the Free Church subscriptions alao, pressure is hronght to bear so that it may appear by the lar^e amounts collected that the ua*i\'O9 are much pleised with the chunye from VVepleyatwsm, whilst tho contrary is the cate.