TONGAN NEWS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1676, 13 April 1904, Page 60

TONGAN NEWS

Special to the “Mail.” March 25

The anniversary of the Coronation cf King George Tubau 11. was celebrated oin the 17th March. He became King of Tonga on that date in 1893, succeeding his great-grandfather, who. had occupied tho position of King from 1845 until 1893.

The fine monument recently erected to the memory of the late Queen Lavinia was unveiled at 10 a.m. on the 17th March. A large concourse of people were present, both Europeans and Tbngiams. Tho King performed the ceremony, and delivered 1 an appropriate speech on the occasion. The monument is a very superior piece of art. The Tongans have been oommemora.oing tho coronation by sports of various kinds for several days. A dinner in/ (honour of the event was provided by the Touigan Government, and the British Resident and some of the foreign residents were invited. Several interesting speeches were delivered on the occasion.

It was fully expected that his Excellency the High (Amunis'sioner would bo here shortly ; hut it is reported that bo is to leave Fiji very soon for Great Britain, and in 'that, caso the expected visit may not take place for some tune to come. This is to be regretted ter many reasons. Tllhi island mf Nina. Foam, situated nearly 400 mi Ims from Tonga, has been the scene of considerable seismic disturba.iLCio. This lit'wt look place on tins 14th January, and continued with more or less VJO'leinciu up to tho ISi it. 'Pho lust heavy shock occurred between 7 and 8 p.m. on Thursday, the 14th; an hour later thorn was aiiiohhor heavy shock, and a third oif equal violence between 3 and 4 a.m. on Friday. Several shocks of less violence woiTe felt between tho three severe shocks. 'The natives leaved that a volcanic eruption would) follow; for the inland has Boon the scene of several volcanic disturbances during the last half-century. In 1853 there was one, resulting in the destruction of a small native village and the loss of between twenty and thirty lives. The P'laoo wiiicli suffered from this* diostruotivo eruption comprised the finest gardening land in the island, and this part of the island, oincie covered with richest verdure, became encased in tho lava flow, which became solid rock averaging from eight to fifteen feet in thickness. Another eruption took placo about 1863, and during the latest in 1880 an immense quantity of volcanic dvust or sand was disgorged, and covered the face of the island with tho dust to the deptli in some places of nearly twenty feet, actually renewing the faco of the land; for the new deposit has proved to be very rich soil.

There are no fewer than six different localities in the Tongan Islaiyls in which there have been active developments of volcanic agenoy during the last halfcentury. Some very interesting information might probably be obtained if the island was visited by seme scientific person. It is undoubtedly the centre of seismic disturbance in the Tongan Islands. We liave liad an unusuallv wet season—the greatest fall of rain since 1893. The last three or four years have been on the whole very dry, and since 1900 the islands have suffered somewhat severely from drought and hurricane. We are hoping that we may escape this year, and are looking forward to a prosperous year, though wo do not considei ourselves safe from lnirncane until about the middle of April. Ihe severe hurricane which devastated parts or T iji in January last was not felt m tho Tonga group ; it reached onlv the stage of a heavy gale here.

The banana ana orange crops promise to bo good, but the rigid inspection or fruit in Now Zealand will prevent any great quantities of oranges boing ship-

ped, and the probability is that thousands of oranges will be wasted. It would be an advantage to the general public if the New Zealand Government could allow tho Tongan oranges to be placed on the same lines as the oranges from the Cook Group, but this canned be done.