'Order Of The Crown

Of Tonga’

[?]tory of a Now Defunct Decoration

By F. T. Goedicke-van Asten

WONDER how many people of this generation have heard the story of the short-lived, now defunct, decora >n called “The Order of the Crown of mga.” I have written the following tide from notes made in my diary at e time.

On March 3, 1913, I received orders jm the Premier of Tonga to look after e Works Department, while the fore m of Works was absent at Niufoo. I ls also told to go with carpenters and her labourers to the Island of otutabu, to erect two large cement iter cisterns and four large Tonga uses, as the Government had decided establish a Leper Station on the island d had voted £lOO for the upkeep.

When I heard the amount, I smiled, had been on Molokai, while residing the Hawaiian Islands, and I had seen 5 leper establishment there—a hospital, ctors’ and nurses’ quarters, a church, kehouse, laundry, workshop, and many ler buildings. I knew that thousands pounds would be needed to keep this per Station going. [ remembered that when Queen Emma, Hawaii, founded the Queen Emma ispital, she ipstituted an Hawaiian der, “the Order of Kamehameha I”, d the fees connected with the Order nt towards the upkeep of the hospital. : thought it would be a good idea if ng George Tubou II would institute a

Tonga Decoration. On April 6, 1013, 1 proposed it to the King, and my pro posal was at once accepted, and the “Order of the Crown of Tonga” was founded.

There were four classes: Knight Grand Commander, Grand Commander, Com mander, and Officer. The Motto was “God and Tonga are my Inheritance”, and the ribbon was red and white. H.

M. George Tabou II was Patron, Captain Fein (partner in the firm Grunner & Rossin, of Hamburg) was Royal Com missioner, and F. T. Goedicke was Chan cellor and Registrar.

The first shipment of the Order, four of each kind, arrived in Nukualofa on August 16, 1914. They were beauties, 15

carat gold, a real triumph of the gold smith’s craft.

On August 17, the King invited the Chief Justice (Mr. Skeen) and Rev. M.

Watkins, to the Palace; and he asked Mr. Watkins, as his Chaplain, to decorate him with ttie Insignia of Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Tonga. This was done.

The next day, the King decorated Queen Pakipo with the Order of Grand Commander, and I, as Chancellor, re ceived the Order of Commander.

On August 28, 1914, HMS Philomel arrived at Nukualofa, with the news that Britain had declared war on Germany.

The King thereupon decided not to in vest anybody with the Order until the end of the war. King George Tabou II died before the end of the war, and with him died “The Order of the Crown of Tonga”.

Of the three who were invested, King George and Queen Pakido are dead; and I have sent my medal to my son’s wife in Auckland. She sometimes wears it on a gold chain, around her neck.

I do not know what became of the other 15 Medals.

On that day when the Orders arrived at Nukualofa there arrived, also, through the influence of Captain Fein (who was Consul for Morocco and Vice-Consul for Italy), from the Sultan of Morocco, a beautiful eight-pointed gold Star, and an elaborate, decorated Diploma, written in Arabic appointing HM George Tubou II a Commander of the Star of Morocco; and, from the King of Italy, a gold and green-enamelled Cross, in the shape of a Maltese Cross, and a plain white Diploma written in Latin, appointing HM George Tubou II a Chevalier of the Peace Order, founded, I think, by Prince Orlof.

Mr. Goedicke-van Asten, wearing the Medal of Commander of the Order of the Crown of Tonga.