Coronation

Tonga Solemn, Then

Gay For King's

From PIM editor STUART INDER and AAP

Nukualofa, July 4

Tonga’s 21-stone King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV was crowned here today in a glittering European-style ceremony in the tiny wooden chapel in the grounds of his Royal Palace. The day was also the King’s 49th birthday. The Paci fic had not seen such pageantry since 1918 when the King’s mother, the late Queen Salote Tupou 111, was crowned in a similar ceremony.

THE King’s coronation was signalled to the thousands of Tongans and European guests in the grounds of the Palace and on the nearby malae (green) by a peal of bells from the chapel’s tall steeple rung by the Keeper of the Palace Records, the Hon Ve’ehala.

The King was crowned officially at 10.26 a.m. local time by the Royal Chaplain, the Rev, George Harris, assisted by the President-General of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Rev. Cecil Gribble. . ... .

By the shiplOdd

The movement of Tongans into their capital for the great event began a month ago. By coronation eye thousands of Tongans had come in by small ships from the outer islands.

Most of the movements were handled bv the Tongan motor vessel Aoniu, the ocean going tug Hifofua and four smaller craft. They brought people from as far off as Tin Can Island.

As a special gesture by the Tongan Cabinet passengers have had to pay only half fare, and food for the great feasts, gifts of tapa and mats and Tongan handicrafts for sale, plus bed rolls and personal effects, have all been brought in free.

Before coronation week is out at

least 50 scheduled aircraft from Fiji and Western Samoa will have arrived or departed from Tonga, plus numbers of charters. Tonga normally gets four regular services a week.

The visitor list includes all the uncrowned heads of the South Pacific —including West Samoa’s Premier, Fiame Mataafa, Fiji s Leader of Government Business, Ratu K. K. T.

Mara; Governor H. Rex Lee of American Samoa; the Secretary- General of the South Pacific Commission, Sir Gawain Bell.

The list of outsiders come to pay homage is headed by the Duke and Duchess of Kent, representing Britain’s royal family;’ New Zealand’s p r i me Minister, Keith Holyoake, and Australia’s Minister for Education and Science Senator J. G. Gorton. ’

Procgssiod

The Press and TV corps numbers more than 50 and some parties have been camped here for a fortnight.

Thanks to the TV coverage the world will get a better look at Tonga’s coronation than thousands here in Nukualofa. But it’s being here that matters this week, and there’s probably not one of 70,000 Tongans who would give a roomful of TV sets to be anywhere else than Nukualofa for the crowning of Tonga’s

first monarch in almost 50 years, As t jj e King, in processic emerged from the Royal Pah f or t h e coronation ceremony t Tongan Police Band, immaculate white valas (skirts) and shirts, a black slouch hats burst into t Tongan Nati onal Anthem. , , The Kmg V wearm g dark paused on the steps of the Pala verandah facing the band and gue; seated across the front of the Pala grounds under pavilions covered wi canvas.

As a nthem finished, he stepp down on to a long path of ta cloth and walked slowly between lin °f Tongan noblewomen sitting besi the path. , He was , followed b y three pa boys carrying his long scarlet vel\ cape edged with ermine, Then came the King’s son, Crov Prince Tupo’utoa, a cadet at San hurst military academy, who w clad in the black ceremonial unifor of a major, complete with silver spu and ceremonial sword.

The page boys were dressed cream breeches and white stocking purple jackets, white ruffle-collars ai three-cornered hats, The King, wearing a splend general’s uniform, was followed I Queen Mata’aho, also wearing

• With Queen Mata'aho by his side, the King of Tonga, having been crowned, follows the remain der of the coronation service from the throne in the Royal Chapel at Nukualofa. On his left, in the dress uniform of Royal Military College, Sandhurst, is Crown Prince Tupo'utoa—Radio photo.

rlet cloak edged with ermine, and rest of his immediate family.

Beside the Palace on the King’s ht, the Palace guard of 40 men sented arms, their scarlet caps and hes in sharp contrast to their spot -5 white uniforms.

Dutside the Palace ground stood ird detachments from the Aus lian destroyer, Anzac, the British *ate Sirius and the Tonga Defence rces.

Formal recognition

\s the King and Queen entered chapel, the 90-voice mixed choir, ssed in blue gowns and white lars, broke into a song of greet and the guests, including the agan nobles and overseas visitors, □d for the formal recognition, rhe Royal Chaplain presented the ig to the congregation and asked his acceptance by the Tongan )ple.

Mter the congregation spoke its eptance, King Taufa’ahau and the een moved to huge black wooden lirs at the front of the chapel ing the people.

Ylr. Harris then admonished him “maintain inviolably the doctrine, rship, discipline and government” his scattered kingdom, after which King rose, walked to the com mon table, and took the corona i oath before signing it.

Returning to his chair, Mr. Gribble presented him with the Coronation Bible upon which the oath had been sworn as a “rule for the whole life and government of Christian princes”.

Rousing hymn

After a rousing hymn from the choir, Mr. Harris anointed the hands and forehead of the King with holy oil before kneeling to pray for “the assistance of heavenly grace” for the King and his people.

The Royal Chaplain then placed a ring on the King’s hand.

Intoning a prayer, he placed the heavy crown (made in Australia more than 100 years ago) on Taufa’ahau’s head and the congregation roared, “long may the King reign”.

This was the signal for a carillon of bells from the chapel tower and the chain reaction throughout the kingdom.

A coronet was then placed on Queen Mata’aho’s head.

The King rose from his chair and walked to the throne, a smaller carved wooden chair beneath a canopy of polished wood, with his Queen and Crown Prince on either side.

Mr. Harris stood before the newly crowned King and said, “Stand firm and hold fast from henceforth the seat and state of royal and imperial

dignity, which this day is delivered unto you in the name and by the authority of Almighty God”.

The communion prayers were then intoned by the Royal Chaplain and the bread and cup taken to the King and the Queen and the Crown Prince.

The King and Queen rose as the national anthem was sung and a gun salute boomed out across Nukualofa Bay.

As the King emerged from the chapel to return to the Palace, there was silence from the crowd until a solitary cheer broke out from the rows of school children on the edge of the Palace grounds.

Within seconds this was taken up in a wild roar of acclaim, and the King broke into a broad smile as he mounted the steps to the Palace verandah and turned to face the crowd.

Soon Tongans, overseas guests, and photographers were mingling in the Palace grounds before the King, while some 10,000 children marched past, chanting and laughing, accompanied by skin drum bands.

The coronation celebrations will continue throughout the week, with the ancient royal kava installation ceremony being held on July 6.

The week will end with thanksgiv ing church services on Sunday, July 9.