ANOTHER VERSION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2530, 21 February 1887, Page 2

ANOTHER VERSION.

Some very astonishing information on the state ot afiairs in Tonga has just been presented to the Wesloyan Conference in Sydney by the Rev E, E. Crosley, 8.A., represonfcative of the Tonga district, The past year, ho declares, has been remarkable as showing. clearly the connection of the Government-with the oppression that has been going on, to induce those who remained faithful to the Wesleyan Church to join the Free Church established by the Rev Shirley Baker. The latter, according to Mv Crosley, took round with him a Police Magistrate, who displaced the Resident Magistrate so lon uas he was in a Court town, It was by this official that the great majority of the cases were tried. The law hap been pressed against the Wesleyans in a most extraordinary manner, Some were brought up under a law which forbids Wesleyans under certain circumstances froru preaching • it turned out that they-only formed part of &■ oongrflgafcioii ? -l)ut—t})e -magistrate held that if there wero. no con<He°ation there-could be "no ."service? and consequently they were guilty of preaching a sermon"!. A. Wesleyan cate'chist.who, in arguing a case before the Court said that Mr 'Baker's magistrate was not-a " rightful inhabitant of Haakawe, wan adjudged guilty of libel, and sentenced to two years' work to_pay £3O and £ls damages and costs. Another .who incautiously remarked that "Mr Baker went to Auckland and wan a Wesleyan there," was-sentenced ■to two years' hard labor, and ordered to pay £1 costs and £2O damages, to the reverend gentleman as a solution .for his laceratad. feelings., In r Fooua i " the island recently visited by a volcanic eruption, there was a Wesloyan ordained Minister named Joel. Mr Baker and hia colloaguo in the Free Church, MrWatkin, did-their utmost to get Joel to join them. He refused, whereupon two charges of libelling Mr Watkm and oiw of libelling the king were brought against him. Sir Baker, according to Mr Crosley, sent a message to' Joel to the effect that if he turned over all would be forgiven, if not he would be severely punished. Mr Joel remained firm to his principles, whereupon he was sentenced 'to twelve years' labor and to pay £B4, and he is now serving his twelve years in Tongatabu. Among tho extraordinary code of laws which has been imposed on the unhappy Tongana is one which enforces the "hoeing and sweeping" of'church lands. In a case mentioned by Mr Crosley, tho laborers employed by the Wesleyans oil their lands were deported by the Government, and then the Wesleyans were prosecuted to?not "hoeing and sweeping" and heavy fines were imposed. Rather than submit his church to such extortion one man went to prison, and then he was again prosecuted for not hoeing and sweeping the land while he was detained in gaol I •Nor is imprisonment a':formal matter. One case is quoted in which some Wesleyans were handcuffed and thrust into a small wooden building without fresh air or windows, : while a.policeman who ventured to 'sho\v them some little kindness, was himself put in gaol. Apart from all this, the Wesleyans in Tongatabu had their churches broken open, arson was resorted to, and on three occasions dynamite was usod. Their children are forbidden to enter school without a permit, threats of hanging were'freely used against them, their lands were taken away, and all the college men- were called out to military service for seven years, Mr Crosley adds that it whb noticed' that the persecutions increased after Mr I Baker's return from Fiji, Referring to the doings of the Sydney conference the Ohristchurch Presssaya —"We make no comment on these facts, and we do not propose now to discuss tho question whether the English Government ought to intervene. It most bo patent to everybody, however, that unless there has boon the wildest exaggerations in the 6tatemont made to the Sydney Conference, a verv shocking state of affairs has been permitted to grow up, It is also clear that if English intervention does take place, it must not be oxercised simply to restore and prop up despotism and tyranny, England can bo no party to such pranks as those which are alleged to have been played . in the name of King George of Tonga," The New Zealand Methodist of the 19th inst„ contains a lengthy accouiit of the affair from the Rev. J. E, Moulton-whioli gives a different color- 1 ipg to the reports that have been circulated, and shows that the holy nar has been due to the oppressions by the Free Church.' It is stated that as-many as twenty towns and -villages have been plundered, ' ~