DEATH OF NATIVE RULER.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1918, Page 3

DEATH OF NATIVE RULER.

. KING GEORGE OF TONGA. DAUGHTER ASCENDS THRONE. News -was received in Auckland on Monday to the effect that King George Tubou 11. of Tonga died of tuberculosis j at his island home on the morning of Friday, April 5, and was ' buried in j state on the The Kin?, who was 44 years of age, had; been ailing for some time, and a few mouths ago the Government, medical adviser from Fiji visited Tonga in the steam yaeht Ranadi to attend him. The medical officer then stated that the disease had shown signs of development, but "after treatment he expressed the opinion that it' had been arrested in time. Death, however, came suddenly, as the Kingwwats t rising from bed, on April 5. /The King's daughter, Princess Salote, or Charlotte, was proclaimed Queen on April 0. King George 11. was proclaimed King on February 21, 1893, and was crowned on March 17 of the same year, succeeding his great-grandfather, King George Tubou 1., who died on February 18, 1893, at the age of 9G f having reigned since 1845. It is interesting to note that although George I. first addressed his people in May, 1835, iris first great Government meeting was not held until May, 1859. The new Queen Salote was the only daughter of the late King's first wife, Ijie-nia, and is now about 18 1 /: years of age. Her mother died a few' "months after her birth. Queen Salote married, !the new Prince Consort, William Tugi, a few months ago. Tugi was present at the coronation of King George V., of England, as the representative of Tonga, and' the ceremony made a great impression upon his mind. He was nominated by King George 11. as the husband of Salote when the latter was a mere child, and as the King's word was law he was compelled to remain a bachelor until his princess reached a marriageable age. Princess Salote was educated at the Auckland Diocesan High School. King George had two other daughters, the children of his second! wife, but only one of these, Princess Fusi f is now alive, the other, Princess Onelua, having died in August, 19T1,when a few months old. The Tongan Group, which was discovered by Tasman in 1843, comprises about 103 islands, the chief of which are Toga Tabu, Vavau, and Haapai. the population totah 21,712 Tongans and about 350. Europeans. The Free Church of Tonga, of which the King was head, has nearly 16,i)00 adherents,, the Wesleyans- 4000, Catholics 2000, and, the other denominations about 700 be-> tween them. / Tonga is ruled by a Constitutional Government, the primary head being I the monarch, who is President of the Privy Council, and has the right to appoint members of the nobility. Parliament of the people meets yearly. The Constitution, although reading strangely to European minds, suits the Tongan people admirably, and is held and revI ered by them. Tonga, though nomin- | ally independent, owes allegiance to Great Britain. Early in the present war the late King made a declaration of neutrality, btft later declared Tonga to be on the side of tho allies. The Tongan Government has declared, a period of six lvonths' mourning as a mark of respect to his late Majesty.