The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1911. A CRISIS IN TONGA.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 216, 11 September 1911, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1911. A CRISIS IN TONGA.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance For the future in the distance, And the good that tee c&n do.

Whatever "bs the cause, there seems to be no doubt that affairs in Tonga are in a very critical condition just now. There is grave dissatisfaction among the natives, and the information supplied to our readers during the past week certainly seems to justiiy their discontent and the strenuous efforts they are making to secure what they 'believe to be ■their rights. It should be understood that ten years ago a treaty was concluded between the British Government and the King of Tonga, granting the natives practically full local autonomy. The Imperial authorities were to be represented in the island by a British Resident. But a clause in the agreement specifically provides that the British Resident shall not interfere with the internal affairs of the country; and the extent of his powers there is defined by the statement that the Tongan Government may ask the advice of the British Resident if it thinks this course necessary. It is clear from the whole tone and wording of the treaty, that the Tongans were meant to be virtually independent so far as domestic affairs are concerned, "" " it is certain that they have alway» interpreted the treaty in this way. But, according to the evidence of apparently reliable witnesses, the British Consul, Mr Telfer Campbell, has practically Income dictator of Tonga, and lie is charged with having exercised the powers he has usurped in a manner that infringes the rights and interests of the native population and the King. Wc are well aware that it is by no means easy to arrive at a just or accurate estimate of so complicated a situation, but, according to those Europeans who have taken up the native cause, the British Consul has virtually made himself head of the Tongan Government. Ho lias a right to a seat m the Cabinet—a curious anomaly in the case of an official who may at any moment be called upon to adjudicate all action brought against the Tongan Government in his own Consular Court—and there s6ems to be no doubt that lie is regarded by the natives as practically Prime Minister of Tonga. It is alleged that he has publicly declared "I am the Government of Tonga," and his actions since lie took ofiice certainly appear to indicate that this is his view of his position. The Tongans are evidently proud of their independence, and they resent this encroachment upon the authority of the native Government. More especially, Mr. Telfcr Campbell has been instrumental in passing several ordinances and laws to which they object most strongly. The copra regulations,

which leaVe to the discretion of white inspectors the right to destroy native stocks of coprji that do not come up to a certain standard of excellence, hare caused grave dissatisfaction. The appointment on the advice of the British Consul of large miiubers of white officials, whose salaries last year are said to have absorbed the whole Tongan revenue derived from direct taxation, is another serious grievance. But the episode that lias apparently worked the native indignation up to fever point, and precipitated the present crisis, is the suppression of a native co-opcrative trading company at the instance of Mr. Telfer Campbell.

The details of this extraordinary ■transaction have already appeared in our columns, and we need not review them at length. This Kautaha, or co-opci active society, was eluded down by the Tongan Government, its assets were seized and its manager prosecuted 011 a charge (of fraxld. Those acting for

the Kautaha claim that all this ivas done through the Government by the British Consul. The Kautaha was destroyed, and though the charge against

its manager was promptly dismissed, the expenses of the action were paid out of the Kautalia's assets. But this is not

the end of the story. A few months ago the King of Tonga 'paid a visit to Auckland, and during 'his absence the Regent, in the name of tiie Government, issued two ordinances, one forbidding the natives to form any sort of co-operative trading company, the other declaring it unlawful for any Tonga n to ibring any action against any person or official concerned in the winding up of the Ivautaha. These enactments were published, as wc iJittv-e Said 1 , ostensibly iby the Regent and' the Privy Oouncil, tut ■the natives assert that "the power ibe'ltind tlic throne" was once snore the British Consul. And: certainly tfhe sequel appears to justify this view Of the case completely^ After many months of seeihing discontent and agitation, the representatives of the KaUtaha brought an action against the British Consul and the Tortgan officials who had assisted him for tho loss sustained by the destruction of the ,busimes4 This case fwtas heard last month hy the Chief Justice of the High Commissioner's Court at Nukualofa, and

•the Court decided that the British Consul and the two white officials -co-operat-ing with him were merely the agents of the Tongan Government in the matter. The natives were bitterly disappointed, but .they were not yet at the end of their resources, and they threatened to carry the case to appeal. The Premier bi Tongdn, who; the natives declare, 13 entirely undoi; the influence, of. .tho

British Consul, then summoned a public meeting and warned them against taking the matter further, even threatening that if necessary Governn ent would spend the taxpayers' money in defending itself, and would pledge tho credit of the country to foreigners. The members of the Kautaha, however, persisted, and acting on the advice of their counsel, tfhey applied to the Supreme Court of Tonga for an order suspending the ordinances pai&sed during the King's absence as "ultra vires." Chief Justice Skeen held that these ordinances contravened the constitution, and that they were, therefore, invalid. It is stated that the British Consul then waited on the King and urged him to dismiss the Chief ijkislii'oei, But this bourse the King' declined to take, and matters had reached this critical stage when our last mail left Tonga. It is advisable to defer any final pronouncement upon the conduct of the chief actors in this extraordinary episode for the present. But it should he clear to our readers that the Tongans have serious causes of complaint against the system by which they are at present governed. Though the treaty of 1901 was supposed to confer autonomy upon Tonga, it is virtually an annexe of Fiji, and it therefore suffers in an aggravated form from the insecurity and hardship so often - > ndured by natives under the Crown Colony system. The Colonial Office is not in a position to interest itself in the details of Tongan affairs, and Downing-strect is too far away to listen carefully to the complaints of natives demanding the redress of grievances in the Western Pacific. It seems to us that the course best calculated to 'secure justice for the natives and restore peace and contentment to Tonga is to remove them from tlicir present dependence on Fiji; and Now Zealand is the centre of British authority •with which they coukl bo most easily associated. Tonga is the nearest of the Pacific groups to us; already we control more than half its trade; and the appointment of a Resident Commissioner from New Zealand to watch British interests there would probably meet the requirements of British Imperialism and satisfy the natives at the same time. Ultimately it may be found advisable for England to annex Tonga; but in the meantime it i 3 clear that the present system is liable to intolerable abuses, and tli6 easiest way out of the difficulty would be to give the Tongans the measure of independence secured to them by the treaty of 1901, and to leave the representation of British interests to an officer appointed by the New Zealand Government.