THE INDEPENDENCE OF TONGA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11398, 15 April 1899, Page 5

THE INDEPENDENCE OF TONGA.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, April 13. (Received April 14, at 10.55 p.m.)

In the House of Commons Mr Brodrick, Under-Sceretary for Foreign Affairs, denied that Britain1 was guaranteeing the independenco of Tonga.

Tho Tongan correspondent of tho Sydney Herald writes:—"On March 7 we were astonished to see an Knglish warship failing into hnrbour, the Tauranga. The visit of a man-of-war in March is a noteworthy event, and argues ppcfciiil i-oasous. As soon as communication was established wo found tho officers very reticent, but' what was picked up has set the place on tho gui vive. Tho fact of the veßFcl sailing with sealed orders, and further, taking on board a quantity of. specie in Suva, is quite enough to set afloat rumours of tho wildest cliAracter. Annexation, a protectorate, total annihilation were fully talked of, tho fact that nobody knew anything at all about the mattei being quite overlooked. On tho 9th the, vessel landed a largo pnriv. of bluejackets, marines, and two guns, to the astonislunent of the natives; howovor, their object was nothing more hostile than drill. On the 10th Captain Stuart visited tho king, and made known the object of his comiiiß. "What it was has' not yet transpired. All that is known is that his majesty declined to accede to tho request, whatever it may have been."

Of tho German-- claims, tho correspondent writes:—"lnasmuch as the 'German claims' only amount to a few hundred pounds, the suggestion of the cession o[ Vavau in settlement seems a little absurd. As a matter of fact, it is possible that the Germans may have Bomc claims in Yavau. Many years ago they surveyed and laid out a coaling station in tho harbour, but never practically made use of it. It is difficult to find out "if they have infcrentially or potentially given bade this land (if-it was over formally leased toi them) to the Tongau Government, and though the officials are very reticent on tho matter, it is probable that the re-settlement of this matter was tho chief end the German consul had in view hi bis last visit bore. Tho claims were, of course, urged, and will doubtless be paid. A largo proportion of tho debts were paid some threo years ago, and some at least of thoso outstanding have been freely admitted, and would have been paid had there been sufficient money in tho Treasury."