TONGA. DEATH OF THE QUEEN. Nukualofa, September 12.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 404, 21 September 1889, Page 5

TONGA. DEATH OF THE QUEEN. Nukualofa, September 12.

As is usual in tho Islands, we have generally either a superabundance of news or a dearth. Last month has been an eventful one. Nukualofa, our principal town here, has been all alive with the sittings of the Conference of the Free Church, and by concerts and public meetings, and the ministers and laymen had no sooner returned to their homes than the whole land is thrown into consternation by the death of the Queen. THE LATE QUEEN OF TONGA. Her exact age is not really known ; she is supposed to be about 74 or 75 years old. When young she was considered to be one of the girls of Tonga, and also one of the greatest chief women belonging to the family of the Tamaha, the great spiritual chief priestess of heathenism — the most sacred personage in olden times. She had been ailing for some considerable time, but no one dreamed her end was so near. Not many minutes before she died she was talking with her attendants. It can easily be understood that the death of such a personage has caused such a sensation throughout the whole of Tonga. Contrary to the expectation of everyone, the King consented for her to be buried at Tongatabu instead of at the royal burial ground at Uiha, Haapai, and as there was no vault at liberty in Tonga a new stone mound had to be made and a new vault built in the same. Each night she was lying in state; the yard of the pavilion and verandah of the same were beautifully illuminated, many thousands of lamps lighting up the place. She was buried on Tuesday, the 10th, with all regal pomp, thousands of her countrymen attending her funeral. The Rev. J. B. Watkin officiated, and as the procession left the palace minute guns were fired and the Government Band played the "Dead March in Saul." The Guards also fired a salute of three volleys over the grave at the conclusion of the service. A death-blow has been given to the usual festivity and tangi usual at the death of chiefs ; His Majesty positively ordered that no tangi or festival should be held.