ABYSSINIAN THRONE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20071, 8 October 1928, Page 9

ABYSSINIAN THRONE.

REGENT PROCLAIMED KING. RAS TAFARI TO BE CROWNED. British Wireless. RUGBY. Oct. 5. The Empress Waizcru Zauditu of Abyssinia has conferred the title of King upon her cousin, Prince Tafari Makonncn Ras of Bases, who is the heir-apparent and Regent. i Ras Tafari will be crowned at Addis Ababa on Sunday. The British Chargo d*Affaires will ro- : present tho British Government at tho , ceremony, to which it is understood tho ' Governors of British, French and Italian ; Somaliland have been invited. [ Ras Tafari, the 1 now King of Abys- : sinia, was born in July, 1891. as second son of lias Makonnen, who was present at tho coronation of Edward VII. in 1901, . as envoy of tho Emperor Menelik. After i tho deposition of tho Emperor Lidsh Jcassn and tho accession of tho daughter 1 of Menelik, the Waizeru Zauditu (Judith), J he was declared heir to the throne and appointed liogent. In that capacity he had wide powers, but the influence of tho Empress Judith herself .on tho course of events in Abyssinia has been by no means inconsiderable. In September, 1923, Ras Tafari brought about the entry of Abyssinia into tho League of Nations. The law of March, 1924, abolishing slavery, is attributable to liim. In the summer of 1924 ho made a tour of Europe, during which ho visited Rome, Paris, Brussels and London. This journey was remarkable in that it was tho first occasion on which an Abyssinian monarch or regent, bad been known to loavo his native country. At the end ot r Julv. 1926, Ras Tafari sent to the League 3 of Nations a formal protest against the , Anglo-Italian agreement of April, , with regard to Abyssinia. In the com so ' of it ho wrote; "When we wore receive into tho League of Nations, ™ we 0 to d 5 that all countrios belonging to it naa equal rights and that their independence I must, bo respected by all. Wo weie not told that some of the members could agiee among themselves to impose their po icy ' on another member, even when the late - roearded that policy as incompatible, with his national interests. In 1912 Tafari ' married the Princess Menon a half-sistei 3 of the former Emperor Lidsh Jeassu. His ! heir is liis son Makonnen. He lias another .<on and three daughters.