Night Guard for

Elizabeth II Around Tongan Palace

IN order to avoid transgression of the Tongan Sabbath, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on Saturday, December 19, flew directly to Nukualofa from Suva (instead of going on by the Gothic, arriving Sunday morning, as originally

planned). Thus, the Royal Party had to spend one night (Saturday) in Nukualofa.

For their accommodation, Queen Salota vacated her famous old wooden palace in Nukualofa, and it was specially refurbished and de corated for the great occasion. The palace, while it housed the world’s greatest monarch, was placed under an all-night guard; and this is how the Fiji Public Relations Officer described the remarkable scene: WHEN the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had retired, Tongan men sat in groups all night round little fires, to guard them. Dry coconut leaves had been bound in long bundles to form torches, and four men sat round each fire, keeping each torch alight

at the fire. As one torch burnt out another was taken up and lit.

The scene just before dawn was one of utter peace. An enormous full moon was just setting beyond the Norfolk pines and casuarinas around the palace. The guards sat in silent vigil round the building w r here their Queen’s guests were sleeping.

The cocks began to crow and then church bells rang briefly; and, just as the sky began to glow in the east, a chorus of crickets broke the silence.

Then, blended with these sounds, came the plaintive tones of four nose flutes, blown by Tongan men seated on the verandah below the Royal bedrooms.

As day came more fully, suddenly the fires were put out and the night guards disappeared and the ordinary palace guards in white uniforms took their place. Garden boys appeared and began to pick up leaves. There was a general air of stirring.

The second day of the Royal Visit had begun.

After breakfast, Queen Elizabeth spent some time in the palace grounds photographing the ancient tortoise, Tui Malila, which Captain Cook left in Tonga. Then the two Royal families drove to service at the enormous Methodist Church in Nukualofa.

There was little feasting or ceremonial on the Sunday.

After the church service, the Royal Party went 12 miles out to Queen Salote s country estate, at Kauvai, where a leisurely picnic luncheon was taken before they returned to Nukualofa, and embarkation on the now waiting Gothic. The Gothic sailed soon after 3 p.m., amid re markable demonstrations of affec tion and farewell.

The bonds created on two notable occasions in 1953, between the Royal W U i SOr ’ of En Sland, T^ bou > °1 Tonga—the largest and the smallest monarchies—will vSiTfSH forgotten. The occasions were the Coronation, and the Pacino Tour of Queen Elizabeth II; and the V%?j dent Jj w . ere inspired by the good

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(More About Royal Visit on pages 133, 137, etc.) Two prominent Christian leaders expected to make separate visits to Fiji next year:—Dr. Rajah Secretary for Asia for the World Council of Churches in mid-June, en route to America after visiting Australia and New Zeai a r n & o then , in July, the Rev. Dr W. E. Sangster, prominent Methodist minister of England, will spend a week in the Colony p a