A VOICE FROM TONGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 5018, 15 December 1877, Page 1 (Supplement)

A VOICE FROM TONGA.

[We have received the following from our own correspondent, dated Tongatabu, November 2nd, 1877.]

TREATY WITH GERMANY. I H.I.G.M.'s Bhip-of-war Augusta arrived from Samoa on the 27th October, having the German Consul, Th. Weber, Esq., on board. On the 31st of the same mont.li the treaty of recognition and friendship between Germany and Tonga was ratified, but the fact waa not generally known until some hours afterwards. What has been our only theme of conversation and speculation for for some weeks paet wa3 ihas brought to a close. I saw the Touga plenipotentiary shortly after the deed had been done. He didn't look particularly cheerful, although he evidently had a considerable cargo of spirits on board. Now it's all over, the majority of the Tongeae I have spoken to express themselves as vexed at what has occurred ; but it is too late to cry over spilled milk. They certainly do not like the Germans any better than old Lucifer is said to like holy water ; and I never could discover that they had any tangible reason for doing so. At any rate they must not be ungrateful, for are they not allowed to enjoy the same rights and privileges in Germany as the Germans 1

A KATOAiVOA OS THE BEACH. On the lirst of this month there waa a " katoanga" (feast) on the beach, when presents of vegetables, fowls, pigs etc., were made (by order) to their German allies by the 'longest;. Thiß is the second time the poor 'l'ongamen have been ordered to do this kind of thing ; and it comes particularly hard upon them, however pretty the outward show may be, just nt this time. Food is very scarce, and the resources of the country have been severely taxed during the stay of Maafu and his large party; without having the additional tax imposed upon them of supplying their richer friends under the pretence of "ofa" (love). The entire proceeding was so ludicrous that we ought to thank Mr. Baker for having given us a good joke to laugh at somebody else's expense. If the " katoanga" ivasintended to impress upon the Germans the extent of the commissariat capabilities of the island, it was a decided failure. When one sees two strong hulking fellows carrying a small cabbage between them; two women carrying one egg suspended to a stick, and more than two-thirds of the dispensers of this great Tonga love feast each with two or three onions only, he is not likely to have a great opinion of the "fat and plenty" of the land, or of the genuineness of the " ofa" of the Tongese.

THE KAIOANGAS TO MAAFU. Since my lust, not a day lias passed without a katoanga to Henry Maafu and his party. The fineat pigs, the largest roots 01 kava, the choicest yams, and tlie longest rolls of tappa have been daily laid at his feet. The consumption of pork during the three weoKs he has been here, has been rnormous. But we shall suffer for this lavish liberality by-aud-by ; and in return for feasting the great chief the multitude will go famishing. He is going away on Saturday,—and it is high time he did go, if we don't want to be reduced to rats, horse-flesh, and old boots as food. The king's katoanga to Maafu was not so great an affair as might be expected ; and considerable difficulty was experienced in getting sufficient people together to carry his majesty's presents. The Minister of Police and his satellites wereuuusually active, and persuasive with stick and lougue, in muateriug "volunteers" for the king's special service. Some of the pieces of tappa were about 80 yards in length and G wide. After a number of these pieces had been "thrown at" Maafu (the mode of presentation here seems more like throwing away or at the recipient than anything else) there followed a gorgeous procession of high chief-women dressed "to the nines," each carrying a whale's tooth and a flower garland. The rear was brought up by Queen Charlotte in her bath-chair accompanied by Governor Wellington and the king's body-guard, lent to the queen for this occasion only. She gave Maafu a very fine mat and a large umbrella which has shielded the sun from her majestic head on several state occasions. She is a relative of Maafu's, he having married her sister. Two horses in a dying state were included in the processional offering, and very miserable they looked. The excitement was too much for one of themand he threw off this mortal coil as gracefully as Artemus Ward could have wished, at an early hour on the next morning. "His Majesty George Tubou, King of Tonga"— a somewhat lengthy but usual way in which the Tui tea speaks of him) —Prince David Unga, Premier; his Honor Sir — Ahomee, Chief Justice; his Honor Judge Ulalu, Ambassador at the Fijian Court; Inoke Fotu, Esq., P. M ; and the Hon. Kaliobase Malubo, Minister of Lands were present at the reception of the gifts for which Maafu and his followers returned thanks in true Fijian style. Ahomee was once upon a time the cust!odian of the Government dollars ; but he wasn't clever enough for a Treasurer, so they made him Chief Justice. Ulalu is as great an old woman as Malubo ; for which reason the former was made a junior Judge of the Supreme Court, and the latter, the Minister of Lands. As the Tonga Ambassador to Fiji, Ulalu ivas spokesman and made a speech which no one twenty yards away from him could hear : after the speech the crowd went "to him." By-the by our government officials are touched to the quick when they see Maafu and his friends walking up and down the beach-road without trousers on. A Tongaman would be fined for so grave an offence, although allowed to wear a vala anywhere else; but they cannot touch their visitors as they are British subjects.

SUMEME COURT. The court has held a sitting, the Clerk having returned from his fishing expedition. At the conclusion of the lirst case which was tried, the jury were locked up, as they couldn't agree upon the verdict. After waiting about half an hour, his Honor Sir —. Alioinee, C.J., went into their room and told them to hurry up and agree, as he was " matti fi kai," (dead, or sick for food). And yet aTongaman will tell you that the Court is conducted in English fashion ! INFLUENZA. We are all suffering from an epidemic which visits us at this time every year, that of influenza. Handkerchiefs are at a premium, but sore throats could be had cheap, and in any quantity. THE WEATHER. We are still without rain, and the native food and copra prospects are very discouraging. The young nuts are rotting and falling off the trees for want of rain, the very nuts that ought to be ready for the copra maker by the end of this month. STRANGERS IN TONGA. As mentioned in my last letter, an unaccountable impetus has lately been given to the passenger traffic from Auckland to these islands, which, if not checked, will result unpleasantly for the majority. Some persons come down with a little capital, in tho expectation of beiDg able to take up a tract of land and resume their old occupation of farming. They have no doubt heard, and heard correctly, that any kitchen vegetable can be easily grown in Tongan Boil, that corn and maize will readily thrive, in fact, that everything that grows in a tropical climate will flourish here. Butthereareotherconsiderations which should be weighed before the aspiring farmer leaves New Zealand for these fresh fields of enterprise. The land laws are so framed and administered that it is impossible at the present time to obtaiu land either in a suitable district or of sufficient extent for even small farming, whilst the question of profitable results is one that is very doubtful. Farmers would find very little custom from natives, while the number of Europeans is small, and their residences much scattered. Another class of people who would do better by stopping away are those who, with slenderly lined purses, come to "look around." They have no trade and no object in view, and when their mouey is done they are glad to accept any menial position which may be offered by the settler, not because he is in need of any additional servants or help, but because he does not like to see a white man " hard up " in Kauaka-land. Tho plain fact of the matter is, that there is not any room foronemo.rewhiteman than there are here at present, while several would be gl;id to get away if they possibly could. There is no dearth of tradesmen in the market, while there is a considerable surplus of the genus " handy-man."