KING OF LOYALTY ISLANDS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12410, 21 March 1911, Page 2

KING OF LOYALTY ISLANDS.

Almost a fortnight ago we were ' informed that Mv r W. r J. Watriama, who is known as king of the Loyalty Islands, had been cdnfidinato art httefViettrar m Sydney his fears Tor the. safety, of New Caledonia from Japanese aggression. Today we are tplfl a, .mpre oircumstan^ia: story, which 18 -iwre-ip.- tu r ft apsit,iona attention to the subject, The younj man who is so concerned for the saietj of his island home is described by a' Sydney.; journal! as ."a colored gentle-) man of mdependenfefineans^ who claims to be thevking pf tlje;; Loyalty Islands.'' He is said to be cultured and well edu: cated, and is thirty-two - years of age, During the past, twenty-one* years , hg has. spent a part of Ms time m. Sydney. At the age , of eleven years' he was apparently a remarkably precocious^ boy, as| he •:quarre}|e(J . wi|h '■ his father 'th« 4afce tftmg, because French wet # allowed to establish a proj tectorfifce ooverr r - the isjands, T\\e bojf removed to Sydney, where foe foJind work tm a gapdem*, and later fi«! a coachman, until hjs neqessjties. were relieved by bi^ mother's help. At jthe invitation of the late President Loubeti transmitted through the young man' q father, Mr Watriama visited France (sijj years ago, but he Has never been faVorj able* to. th,e'>French; protectorate, wish' ing to gee tho inlands under British rulej He gave proof of his l6ve, for Britain by.feer.virig'. uftdier Lord 'Methuen, m South; Africaj wnere hq gained high praise. A little niQ^e : a ygftc agqMhjP, fatheij died"; JeAvjng '.. fir|m: Vacy considerably wealth. Ai pireaemY ,Mr-. ;' Watriama'? brother Jiadllng aa jefflni '.at the isi lands, co-operating with; \tbe French authorities ln^oaijrylnß on the adralnistration, >Vh.^e m Syaney, Mr Watriama receives r^giyw, despatches from - his kingdom, and! .it is these that have aroused hi^ feara. He his urged the French Government W depdrt tho Japanese .from. Ne,w. Caledonia, but .ho make^ no secret pjf the fact that he would feel much happier under' the British flag. — Presa. . ..;,..., . ' : r ■ ' ■