TONGAN AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12853, 29 April 1905, Page 5

TONGAN AFFAIRS.

"AN ABSURD PROPOSAL."

[BV TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington', Friday. The Times publishes correspondence between. Mr. W. J. Hunt and King George of Tonga, relative to the action of the High Commissioner in deporting the Premier of Tonga and his son to Fiji. Mr. Hunt urges King George to endeavour to conclude treaties with France, Russia, Japan, and other countries in order t<- strengthen the position, of Tonga as an independent Stale, and ai'vises King George to make a firm stand against what he terms " the aggression of the High Commissioner." He says that if the King demanded that the matter in dispute should be referred to The Hague Convention b feels confident the British Government would instruct the High Commissioner not to interfere with the affairs of Tonga, ill - . Hunt condemns as "» legal outrage" tlio deportation of the late Premier of Tonga.. STATEMENT BY KING GEORGE. Waited upon by a Herald representative last evening, touching the more recent developments at Tonga, King George iutimated that, in the absence of official information from Tonga, he. could say nothing whatever about the so-called " independent movement" there. When the Press Association's wire referring to Mr. W. J. Hunt's letters to the New Zealand Times was brought under his notice, King George intimated that it was a most absurd proposal that Tonga should entertain the idea of relations with any other Power than (heat Britain. Mr. Hunt had certainly waited upon the King when he was ii» Wellington recently, but 110 communication lias passed between them upon which such a proposal as that indicated in the wire could bo based. King George, who is staying at the Grand Hotel, had a lonj, interview yesterday with his legal advisir, Mr. Thomas Cotter.