Britain-Tonga

How The Treaty Was Signed

By F. T. Goedicke-van Asten

Lotofoa, Tonga, Aug. 1.

TO celebrate the Jubilee of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Protection be tween Britain and Tonga, the Tongan Government has issued a new set of postage stamps.

In this connection, the following entries from my Diary of 50 years ago may interest you: April 30, 1900— HMS Porpoise arrives in Nukualofa with Mr. Basil Thompson on board.

May S—HMS Porpoise sails for Niue.

May 18—Basil Thompson takes up his quarters with Dr. McLennan, at Fangalooga.

May 18, a.m.—l called on my old friend Dr. McLennan, who intro duced me to Basil Thompson. Mr.

Thompson tells me that he is wait ing for Premier Satiki and U. Tungi (Minister of Lands) to sign a Treaty of Friendship and Protec tion. At 8 o’clock Lateki arrived, and Mr. R. Hanslip, who is going to do the interpreting, but at 10 o’clock there was still no sign of Tungi. A messenger was sent to his home and an answer came back “Kataki.” At 11 o’clock Tungi

arrived in his invalid chair, pushed by his servant Helu Nima Motu. At midnight the treaty is signed.

June 13—U. Tungi dies.

February 16,1901— HMS Tauranga arrives with the Governor of Fiji, to sign the Ratification of the Treaty of Friendship and Protec tion, signed in 1900.

All the persons who signed or saw the signing of the Treaty, such as Sir Basil Thompson, Premier Sateki, U. Tungi (Minister of Lands), Robert Hanslip, Dr. McLellan, are all dead—only your humble servant, who sends his kind regards, is still alive, but in poor health (and now 90 years old).