NEWS FROM TONGA. Inquiry by the High Commissioner. [From the "Sydney Morning Herald."]

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 201, 30 April 1887, Page 9

NEWS FROM TONGA. Inquiry by the High Commissioner. [From the "Sydney Morning Herald."]

Tongatabu, April 2. On Sunday, March 27th, H.M.S. Diamond, flying the High Commissioner's ensign, steamed into Nukualofa harbour and anchored. The good people of Tongatabu. soon learned that she brought with her his Excellency Charles Bullon Mifceheil,K. C. M. G. , governor of F»» w Maieatv's High Commissioner for the Western' Pacific, together with the judicial commissioner, Chief Justice Clark, and Mr Secretary Collet. She had also on board the Revs. Joel Nau, Caleb Valu, and Antelu three Tongan Wesleyan ministers, who had but a few weekß previously been deported to Fiji from Tonga. On Monday morning, March 28, a deputation consisting of the following delegates waited upon his Excellency : Messrs .Parker and Parsons, from Tongatabu ; and Mr A. W. Mackay, from groups of Vavau and Haabai. Their object was 'twofold - 1. To present to his Excellency a congratulatory address from the British and other residents in the Friendly Islands. 2. To present a petition from the European merchants, traders, and residents in the Friendly Islands. The petition was as follows : - " Petition from the European Merchants, Traders, and Residents in the Friendly Islands. "To his Excellency Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Chas. Bullon Hugh Mitchell, K.C.M.G., Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the colony of Fiji and its dependencies and Vice- Admiral of the same, hfer 1 Majesty's High Commissioner and Consulgeneral for the Western Paoiiie : — " May it please your Excellency, " We, the undersigned European residents, merchants, and traders in tho Friendly Islands, respectfully approach your Excellency for the purpose of bringing under your Excellency's notico the presont deplorable state of these islands, commercially and otherwise ; and considering that this untoward Btate of affairs hae been brought about by the oppression and tyrannical actions of the present Premier of ; Tonga, a British subiect, we would further most humbly pray that it may please your Excellency to make strict personal investigations into these matters, and to adopt such measures for our relief as under tno circumstances and in your wisdom your Excellency may deem advisable "In order to somewhat elucidate this matter, may we be permitted to bring under Your Excellency's notice the following statements, together with a few remarks relating thereto : — " 1. That for the past two years we have suffered from great depression in trade, during which time business has decreased, and in some cases to the extent of 300 per cent. , and in many cases business has hau to be entirely suspended. 2. That life and property are not safe under the present Government. 3. That we meet with but little justice in the Tongan law courts. With reference to the first statement, the depression cannot be attributed to unfavourable seasons, for in this respect the Friendly Islands have rather been particularly favoured than otherwise, the yield of copra, the one product upon which our prosperity depends, having been rather above than below the average, and with the one exception of the volcanic eruption at Niua Foou, atfecting only one small island, there have been no natural causes for the alleged depression in any one island of tho group. We venture to suggest that the clue must be looked for in the tyrannical proceedings of the Premier of Tonga, which are affecting in the most disastrous manner the whole of the people of Tonga, who, in proportion to their resources, are burdened with taxes and fines to an extent unknown in any other part of the world, most certainly unparalleled in any country pretending to be governed by a constitution ; and your petitioners will hardly be charged with exaggeration when they assert that of the total produce of the country fully 60 to 65 per cent, finds its way into the Government coffers, thus leaving but a very small portion for the purposes of trade and commerce. These tyrannical proceedings, together with the fierce religious persecutions of the past tAvo years, have completely unsettled the people, have prevented them from following their usual occupations, and have been the meant of filling the various islands of the group with prison labourers, who waste their lives in working out iniquitous fines, taxes, penalties, &c. And to such an extent is this carried on in the island of Tongatabu alone that out; of a total population of 8,000, including men, women, and children, there are from 400 to 500 of this class, exclusive of hundreds more who manage to raise money and pay their fines in cash. And your petitioners can safely assert that without doubt the Hon. 8. W. Baker, Premier of Tonga, is responsible for this persecution and its lamentable results. That life is not safe under the present Government is proved by the events of the past few months, the Premier himself having been fired at, and two of his children having been dangerously wounded. Several other residents have had rifle-bullets whistling unpleasantly near, notably amongst them Mr W. E. Giles, late British pro-consul. As regards property — lands and houses held under tease have been entered into and looted by bands of armed marauders, chiefly by lawless ruffians from Haabai, who were brought over from Haabai by the express orders of the Premier, and contrary to the wishes of the King and chiefs. As an example of the justice that we usually meet with in the Tongan law courts, may be instanced certain cases lately tried in the High Commissioner's Court in Fiji, in which cases th< decision of the Tonga law courts was re\ *. sed, and a verdict in favour of the apjollant was given. One cause of injusticv is the fact j that evidence that would be inadmissible in a European law court is permitted in j the Tongan law court ; while in many ; cases evidence that would be admissible ■ elsewhere is ignored in the Tongan law courts. i "In conclusion, we would beg to draw your Excellency's attention to the fact that ! the actions of the present Premier of Tonga I have been condemned by Consul Layard, and by the former High Commissioners, j Sir William Dcs Vosux and Sir Arthur Gordon. And we would also beg to call your attention to the fact that the late Acting High Commissioner, the Hon. I J. B. Thurston, in a despatch addressed j to his Excellency Sir William Dcs Voeux, late Governor of Fiji, and published in ' the Blue Book of New Guinea writes ' thus concerning the present Premier of Tonga ; ' Your Excellency has at present under consideration the case of a number of Tongans who have been imprisoned, fined, and treated otherwise with gross injustice by the Rev. S. W. Baker, an ex -Wesleyan missionary, who is in everything but name the King of Tonga.' The offence of theae Tongans was that they ventured to address a petition to Her Majesty, 1 praying for the removal of this tyrant from Tonga.

"His Excellency, Sir Arthur Gordon,, impressed upon the Tongan Government that these men were not to be considered as prisoners ; that in addressing her Britannic Majesty they had done nothing worthy of a prison. Notwithstanding this, they were [ banished by the Tongan Government to various islands of the group, Mr Baker being Premier at the time ; and from this banishment they were not released until H.M.S. Espiegle was bent down by Sir William Dcs Voeux to insist upon their liberation. It is a fact worthy 01 note that the Tongan Government have never Ceased persecuting these unfortunates, and that t-WO of these same men were, amongst tho Mix men sho}; by the sumo .Premier's orders on Februai y 2, 188*7. " Again craving your Excellency's sympathy and assistance in these, to us, all important matters,— We have the honour to be your Excellency's humble and obedient servants. (Here follow signatures of sixty Europeans. ) On Monday afternoon the Hey. J. E. > Moulton and Mr S. W. Baker were summoned on board the warship to make preliminary arrangements for an inquiry into the persecutions. On Tuesday, 29th March, a preliminary inquiry was held at the British Consulate into the case of Baker v. Hanslip, in which Shirley Wjldemar Baker accused Robert Hanslip of encouraging and instigating certain Tongans to murder the aforementioned S. W. Baker. On Wednesday, 30th March, the inquiry into the persecutions began. His Excellency Sir Charles Mitchell presided, and was attended by Chief Justice Clark and Secretary Colet The Rev. J. E. Moulton sat at a table on the right-hand side of the Court, and was attended by Mr A. W. i Mackay as> his friend and counsel. MiBaker occupied a table on the left-hand side, and was attended by sundry native and European satellites, notably amonght them Tuinetoka, Minister of Police, the man who danced at the execution of the six men on February 2nd, and who toitured them during their last moments with brutal remarks about the probable-, fate uf their daughters. The fir^t pait of the inquiiy lasted three days, Wednesday, March 30th, Thursday, March 21st, Friday, April Ist. It was then postponed until Monday, April 4th. The evidence both of Tongan and European witnesses given during the trial went t > show that a cruel persecution has existed for the past two years, and that most horrible outrages have been committed in th« name of the Tongan Government, in endeavouring to turn the people over to the so-called Free Church of Baker and Watkin. His Excellency particularly questioned the witnesses as to whether they had considered the island under martial law, and whether they thought that the bands of armed ruffians were beyond the control of the Government. The evidence given on this point was to tho effect that the island was not. under martial law, that martial law was never proclaimed, that at no time whatever were the bands of armed men beyond the control of the Government, and that Mi- Baker could have stopped the outrages at any time, had he wished todo so. The statements of the native Wesleyan ministers, Joel Nan, Caleb Valu, Antelu, and Joshua Lolohea, took the form of eloquent addresses, and although his Excellency had throughout the trial evinced a marked de&ire to allow nothing but actual evidence, he e-^ idently had not the heart to refuse to hear thoc impassioned and stirring statements. Hih Excellency questioned the native ministers as fco what objection they had to the Free Church of Tonga, and also ahkod them to explain the difference between the tenets and the doctrines of the rival eh arches. The a ; i swers that his Excellency received on that point were able, forcible, decisive, and to the point. His Excellency seemed rather surprised when he heard the case of the Rev. Joshua Lolohea, who has been 69 days in irons and in close confinement without trial, and without being told what he is imprisoned for. His Excellency repeatedly asked if Joshua really meant what lie said, and if he really did not know what he was imprisoned for. Still Joshua replied, " I have not been tried, and I don't know why* charge they have against me. " Mr Baker was asked each day if he intended to bring a charge of conspiracy, &c. , against the Wesleyan Mission ; but each day he refused to say definitely whether he would or not; he acknowledged that he might do so, but would not say positively. His Excellency pointed out to him the unfair ness of the delay, explaining that the Rev. J. E. Moulton had furnished the Court with a schedule of his charges, and a list of the witnesses that he purposed calling; and that in accordance with the terms arranged at the preliminary inquiry on board H.M.S. Diamond, Mr Baker should have done the same. Before closing the Court on Friday afternoon, His Excellency gave Mr Baker notice that on Monday morning (April 4th) he would require him to state definitely whether he intended to bring this charge forward or not. It was very evident to all present in the Court that Mr Baker was from day to day deliberately postponing the admission as to his intention of bringing this charge, with the object of first hearing the result of a similar charge against Mr Robert Hanslip, of Tonga. Mr Hanslip's trial came off or Saturday, April 2nd, with the result tha.b lie was honourably acquitted.