GOVERNOR'S TOUR

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 222, 18 April 1933, Page 5

GOVERNOR'S TOUR

! VISIT TO TONGA ! INSPECTION OF SOUTH SEA , STONEHENGE I WONDERFUL WORK DATING FROM 1200 A.D. j Tombs of Ancient Kings i SPLENDID RECEPTION ACCORDED BY NATIVES | Lord Bledisloe's Thanks Received Today, 8.45 a.m. ! (Special to Press Association.—By i Radio.)

H.M.S. Diomcde, April 17,—An excursion to the Stonehenge of Tonga, known as Haamonga, was made by Their Excellencies and party to-day as guests of the Government of Tonga. It is believed that Haamonga, which is Trilithan, was built by a Tongan king about 1200 A.D., the method followed being similar to that, used in the construction of the Egyptian pyramids. It consists of three huge blocks of stone, two being upright and one crossways, the latter fitting into grooves on top of the vertical stones.

A short distance 1 away arc the tombs of the ancient kings, where massive biocks of stone are used. The visitors were accompanied by j Queen Salote. the acting-Prime Minis- j ter, Mr. Ata, and many prominent | citizens and public officials. j

A formal reception had been nrrang- I ed on the most elaborate scale and the guests spent a perfect day amid picturesque and beautiful surround- j ings attended by hundreds of Ton- j guns arrayed in their holiday glory, j It was a scene of peculiar and ap- , pealing beauty, enhanced by the lore-j ly setting of sylvan glades. While the guests were at luncheon j in the specially built pavilion which j was a work of art relays of Tongans j presented national dances with amaz- j ing grace and precision and singing j songs most melodiously. ; Little children took part in enter-) taining numbers with a degree of j gravity which was conspicuously ab- j sent from their light-hearted seniors. The singers chanted praises oi j Tonga and its inonarchs past and j present, not omitting courteous :n- ' bu'tes to the distinguished visitor . 1 Presents of tappa cloths and other articles were made and the visitors j were decorated with fibre and arrayed , in floral adornments used 0 i festal 1 occasions eventually returning from' the scene, in very gay app> arance in-j deed. j

His Excellency in an appreciative speech thanked the queen and her Government for their kind reception and generous hospitality. Especially gratifying to him he observed was the excellent feeling of the people toward England and the British Empire. He would have the greatest pleasure in informing His Majesty of the cordiality with which his representatives were received as guests and given such an entliUJiastic picturesque recaption,

The Diomedc will sail for Vavau at four (.•clock this afternoon.