ISLAND NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 6, 9 January 1899, Page 3

ISLAND NEWS.

TONGA (FRIENDLY ISLANDS)

THREATENED SEIZURE OF VAVAU

BY GERMANY.

A Tonga correspondent writes: — The trouble over the electlou of a king in Samoa (Navigator Islands) is apparently to be backed by a difficulty between Germany and Tonga, which we hear of by the steamer arriving yesterday. The reason thereof is this. Several years ago the German Company, whose headquarters are at Samoa, gave credit to a considerable amount to the. natives of Tonga, in the course of their business at those islands. The debts are still unpaid, and the Government have always repudiated liability, as the debts are private, and further, that credit was and is prohibited by law. This law the Germans disregarded, but now demand that the Government should see them paid. Suddenly the German Vice-Consul from Samoa made his appearance in Tonga, and has notified to King George 11. that unless the German debts are paid he will seize the island of Vavau, the most fruitful of the group. The young King is appealing to Great Britain, America, and France, with whom he has treaties, to arbitrate in this trouble, for him and his people. As the matter now stands, it looks as if Germany intended laying hands on Tonga as well as on Samoa. We cannot believe that England and America will allow her, under any pretext, to plant a military and naval station right across the high road of the great Pacific possessions in which these two nations are building up great peaceable populations.