THE CRUISE OF THE WAIRARAPA

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4419, 12 July 1884, Page 6

THE CRUISE OF THE WAIRARAPA

[By Our Special ConßEsroxDENT,]

{Continued from "Star''1 of July 7J

THE KINGDOM OP TONGA, Cmloutj Social Laws.

I was ablo during our brief stay to gather somo little-known facts about the little kingdom of Tonga and its peculiar social and governmental institutions. All the crew of tho pilot boat we discovered were prisoners working out their sentences in Government service. Ono lusty fellow explained that his crime was adultery, for which lie had been fined 100 dollai-3 or eighteen months' imprisonment; ho had still nino months to serve. Tho penalties for adultery and fornication seem to bo a perfect gold-mino for tho Government, becauso despite theso deterrents the natural man in thoso children of Nature will got the better of their fear of tho law, and many of them are able to raise tho money to pay tho fines. Tho penalty for fornication is 20 dollars, oi> si* months' imprisonment. Somo very curious stories aro told of tho manner of obtaining convictions for theso ofl'ouoos, A man on his death-bed, in penitent 111001!, confesses to his numerous amours, and immediately all tho objects of his attention aro hauled boforo tho Court and fined. Ono of these gay young Lotharios, recently belioving that his last hour had como, put himself in for a lifo sentence, each ollencc being punishable with a cumulative term of eighteen months. He lived to share tho punishment which his promature fears had brought upon his frail sweethearts : for a Tongan youth or girl to bo found sheltering under the same mosquito net is sufficient to convict. Courtships, therefore, must bo conducted with circumspection. I was informed on good authority that the penalty leads to numorous attempts at abortion and infanticide among women who fear discovery and punishment of their frailty. Another sourco of revenue to tho Governtnont is tho school tax. Education is compulsory, lion-attendanco at school rendering the truant schoolboy liable to a line of ten dollars, with the alternative of six months' imprisonment. Thoso laws aro enforced with a rigidity that amounts to harshness. Mrs Moulton, wifo of tho Weslcyan missionary, had, during Mr Baker's absenco from Tonga, takon several native girls into her houso to train under her own care. In any other country proof of education would secure exemption from attendance at tho Government school; but not so hero. Tho girls wero brought beforo tho Court and fined, with the option of imprisonment. No doubt the object in this case was political—to prevent Mr Moulton from establishing n system of oducational training independent of tke povernment. Tho caso, nono tho loss, furnishes an excellent instance of tho abuses of a personal rule.

The rivalry between tho Premier and tho representative of tho Wesleyan Church, to which tho Rev. S. \V. Baker has always attached himself, is easily understood. The basis of all tho Governments in tho islands of tho Pacific which have accepted Christianity is religious: Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji aro tho only exceptions. Tho missionary rules with an iron hand, and tho people bow down beforo him. He is the great chief. This was the caso in Tonga prior to the formation of the Government. Tho Rev. - Shirley Baker, as Chairman of the Wesleyan Circuit in the Group, filled the enviable position of spiritual director. He had only just erected a palatial mission-house at Nukualofa when charges of trading led to his recall. Ho then threw his energies into the task of changing the religious government into a secular one, and being a man of great energy and forco of character, succeeded. But the missionary influence and traditions are not wholly lost. The natives believe implicitly in a corrupt form of Christianity, and vio with each other in their contributions to the Church. At one meeting recently in Nukualofa, tho collection amounted to a thousand dollars. The virtue of giving towards mission purposes, and for the extension of the Gospel in other islands of tho Pacific, is urged upon them as a first duty and tho true pathway to the heavenly kingdom. In handing in their contributions they provoke each other to public rivalry, flourishing the coin and challenging others to double the amount.

Now, collision between two authorities, bei*un in bitterness of spirit, was inevitable ; tho secular and religious arm aro striving for the pre-eminence,-witli every prospect of the secular prevailing. Mr Moulton appears to be a religious enthusiast; Mrßakerashvewd, calculating man, with great determination. The war between them was brought to a head by Mr Moulton translating a petition to Sir Arthur Gordon praying for Mr Baker's deportation. The native chiefs who signed it were imprisoned for two years on chargeß of high treason, and were only released a few days before our arrival. Mr Baker retaliated by endeavouring to get Mr Moulton removed. The Conference at Sydney, however, to which the Tongan Church is attached, refused to listen to the request, and sent Mr Moulton back fortified with their approval. What tho next step may be no one can say but the Premier has already built one handsome church, and he is meditating, it is said, tho establishment of a State Church for Tonga. In that case, it is not impossible thatastruggle will take place over tho possession of tho mission houses, tho sites for which were granted to tho Wosleyan body by tho King, who might, like Henry tho VIII., of illustrous memory, confiscate them to the Stnte. Then it would bo war to the knife. A compromise may, however, be arrived at in the meantime, and if tho Wesloyan body wish to hold their own in Tonga they will come to terms with the Premier. He is the Btronger of tho two, and should he determine to break away from the denomination, would carry most of the natives with him. Looking at the matter from a purely outside point of view, it is probable that the Government of the secular authority would be preferable to' that of the mission, and it must be one or the other. A secular Government meditates, one may suppose, works of material utility for the benefit of the resident population ; a theocracy has more in view the spiritual welfare of the people in foreign parts. There seems in the Tongan Government, however, to be a lack of anything iko chock upon the personal rule of the Premier. It has been publically Btated that accounts of the disposal of the taxes aro never published, and thero is no appeal from the Premier's will. The taxes are collected on produco and are sold to German firms, who warmly support Mr Bakers Government. When the present King dies the Grown Prince, it is supposed, will succeed him, but he is a mountain of flesh ana incapacity, and if he should live, which is doubtful, would probably be as pliable in tho hands of the Premier as the old King, his father, is. There are, however, other claimants to the throne, and a war of succession might prove disastrous to the present Government. Besides, a personal rule is a dangerous one. Every man who suffer* under the law becomes the Iremier's implacable enemy, and if the Ozar of Russia obtains no immunity from the hates engendered under tho system he administers, the Premier of Tonga can scarcely be free from danger.

A Perverted Christianity. Notwithstanding the gloss of a perverted Christianity and education, the fongan native is no more raised out of his primitive condition of barbarism than the Fijian or Samoan. His Christianity is of a very corrupted sort; belief in demoniacal posseasionsisalmostuniveraal.andnativecatechists have been known to participate in the ceremony of pummelling the devil out of a sick person. One teacher was expelled for telling his people that there had been so much joy in heaven over tho liberality of their contributions that a bullock had beenroasted whole; and it is narrated of a cricket match, that the losing side, fandin" themselves getting beaten, procured some <*reen cocoanuts from a neighbouring tree, aTid after declaring the milk to be sacramental wine, and blessing it, solemnly partook of it to give them strength to overcome then- opponents. The missionary teachings have become intermingled with the old superstitions and practices of barbarism, and their morals are not much purer than their beliefs. No attempt has apparently been made to change their habits of life or cultivate 8 knowledge of the mechanical arts, or accustom them to steady work. The collection of copra is almost the SOl6 industry ; their houses are after the same fashion as were built by their fathers, and the only plantation in the islands has to be -worked by imported labour. On the other hand, they are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. A High School has been established by the Government, under the Presidency of Mr Roberts, and there aro scholars able to hold their own in Euclid and Latin . with the run of European Grammar School boys, 1$ ia impressed up°n every native of

Tonga that he is an uncommonly fine fel\o\\\ equal, if not superior, to the white trash anywhere. One good thing has been secured to the young State, chiefly through Mr Baker's influence. Except ono or two small purchases of old date, there is not a freehold in Tonga. Offers have been recently made to re-purchase the pieces alienated, without success. There are, however, three or four long leases. Godeffroy's plantation, which was originally held by Mr Baker, is one, and it is stated that one or two other very valuable leases have been granted by the King. With those exceptions, the land of tho country is held for the benefit of the people. From the earliest times it had been regularly marked out and allotted to its occupants. McArthur's possessions in these islands consist of tho small sites on which their stations stand.

The European population probably does not exceed sixty, all told. The natives participate in the general characteristics of tho Malay-Polynesians, but they possess fower arts than the Samoans. They have no curios which tho excursionists would care to carry away, and tho abundance of beautiful shells which are cast ashore on tho islands, or flourish on its reefs, remain an undeveloped mino of wealth. Bcche do mer is gathered only to a very small extent, complaint being made that it ia unprofitablo, the price offered not repaying the trouble of collection.

Such is the kingdom of Tonga to-day. It possesses tho strongest nativo Government at present existing in tho South I'acilic—a Government directed by European energy and brains—and it will bo an interesting study to watch tho navigation of tho infant Stato through tho shoals that beset it. British enterprise hero, as in Samoa, is unfortunately at a discount. A full-sized portrait of Emperor William occupies a conspicuous place in King George's Palace. It was to Emperor William that assurances of the King of Tonga's neutrality in the Franco-German war wero conveyed ; it is the Emperor's subjects who buy the whole of tho Government copra, and Gorman merchandise shipped from Hamburg supplies tho Tongan nativo with his chief European luxuries. Tho stolid German regards with amusement British zeal for the conversion of tho heathen, and profits by tho favourablo conditions of competition which tho rigid supervision over English subjects givos him: ho is contented to pass florins for dollars, and to engngo Polynesian labourers for three years, and keep them for five or six. Ho pursues the business of making money unhampered by any law but that of expediency ; and if ho had one-half the colonising capacities of the Anglo-Saxon, would soon obtain a political as well as a commercial supremacy in tho South Sea Islands.

Homoword Bound.

The remainder of our story of advonture is soon told. Tho voyage to the Bay of Islands was made under easy steam, and tho weathor proving unfavourable for two days—strong south-east winds prevailing, with heavy sea—thero was a renowal of maritime discomforts. We wore not sorry on Sunday morning to sco tho bold outline of Capeßrett, marking the southernontranco to the bay, rising out of the sea. Anchor was cast by 3 o'clock, and tho Health Officer quickly liberated us from our imprisonment by clearing tho ship, which was soon berthed alomgside tho wharf. An excursion among the islands of this magnificent harbour was projected for the following day, and the verdict was general and emphatic that nothing more picturesque had been seen sinco we left the coast of Now Zealand—nearly four weeks before. The WaitangiTreaty Hall, erected by tho .Maoris as a memorial of tlie signing of the treaty by which they ceded the sovereignty of Now Zealand to Great Britain, and wore confirmed in their title to the freehold of the soil, and assured of all tho liberties of British subjects, was examined with much interest. In this district tho visitor treads historic ground. It was hero that the first white community was formed by runaway sailors ; here the Roy. Mr Williams, famous in mission records, established his station; here tho British flag was hoisted, and the infant capital of tho colony established ; and later on thofirstconflictoceurred between the colonists and aboriginees, the flagstaff was cut down, and tho inhabitants took refuge aboard the man-o'-war brig Hazard lying in the Bay. Tho graves of tho sailors killed in the engagement are kept in order by their comrades on warships that visit tho bay. Bullet-holes aro still pointed out in tho walls of tho old church. All tho lions of tho place were duly honoured by tho Wainrnpans who came to a common verdict that New Zealand scenery would hold its own against tho world. At dinner time, Mr Hugh Goorgo alluded to the early separation of tho company, and proposed tho health of Captain Chatfield and the officers of tho ship, which was cordially receivod. The steamer cast off from tho jhvharf at midnight, and arrived in Auckland early next morning, where steamers wero waiting for the excursionists to continue their journey homeward to South New Zealand and Australia. The ship prepared for her second excursion with the company which had already been made up, taking four of tho first party back to visit the scenes from which they had been excluded. Let us hope that they will meet with all the pleasures, and none of tho misfortunes, that attended the first cruise of the Wairarapa in the South Seas.