Or A President?

Has Minerva Got A King

King Taufa’ahau Tupou of Tonga rmally annexed and declared sever ity over several hundred square iles of ocean and 1,200 square feet coral, rock and concrete on inerva Reef on June 26. The reef 250 miles south-west of Nukualofa.

Garbed as General of the Tonga efence Force, and shielded from the iving rain by an umbrella, the king Dod on the bridge deck of the Tonga ip “Olovaha” as a police bugler gnalled the raising of the flag of mga, the Police Band played the itional anthem and acting Prime inister Mahe U. Tupouniua read the yal proclamation establishing sover gnty over the reefs now renamed deki Tonga—South Minerva, and deki Tokelau—North Minerva.

The king did not land on the tificial islands. It was thought that, ith the stormy conditions prevailing, might have been risky for his ajesty, whose avoirdupois is a little ore than average.

It was a historic scene and peace 1, but to one group of people, who sre not present, it was an invasion, i act of aggression against the west of the world’s nations, the of Minerva.

Declared the President of the epublic of Minerva, Mr Morris C. avis, in a special message to PIM om his Executive Chamber in E. r ashington, Orange, California: “Our ghts as individuals and citizens of sovereign state have been violated; e intend to defend those rights.”

According to a newspaper report of i alleged interview with Mr Morris New Zealand, he said: “We’re not raid to fight to defend what we gard as our country. We don’t want

to kill any Tongan people; but their king will force us into it if he tries to stop us,”

Maybe he can fight—and with sophisticated weapons because, for 15 years, he was with North American Rockwell, Inc. as project engineer on the ICBM Minuteman missile systems.

He also served in World War II and the Korean War.

It is reported that the republic has bought an NZ coastal vessel, the “Ranginui” and equipped it with a helicopter pad so that the “Ranginui” can be used as a fighting ship.

Are the Tongans worried? Well, the king has had some thoughts on the subject. When the Tonga Defence Force and the Royal Guards paraded for his 54th birthday he told them the time would come when Tonga would find it necessary to test its

After adding 1,200 square feet of artificial island to his kingdom, the King of Tonga, well padded against the weather, arrives back in Nukualofa. Below is pictured one of Tonga's newest islands, Teleki Tonga, and the Minervans' "lost" property.

Republic claims a large following

ability to defend the country, but, with regard to the recent Minerva undertaking it was fortunate Tonga was faced by a fairly weak opposition.

Had it been more vigorous, Tonga could well have been embarrassed.

But he’s probably keeping the royal fingers crossed. His fighting navy consists at present of one small, fast craft armed with a machine gun. He intends more than doubling the strength by buying a larger vessel.

Mr Davis is reported to have hinted at mobilising a military force and was non-committal over a suggestion that the republic might enlist mercenaries.

An act of war would be fantastically Ruritanian, but legal action to contest Tonga’s claim to the reefs is most probable.

President Davis told PIM they had adequate finances for their endeavours and a large following among the populations of Great Britain, the United States and Fiji.

“The claim by the King of Tonga to the Minerva Reefs has created a serious obstacle to the continuation of our project,” he wrote. “In response to his claim we have several com ments: • Prior to January, 1972, the Minerva Reefs were unowned, unin habited, and had never been the terri tory or protectorate of any power. • We have complied with every conceivable requisite of national sovereignty in establishing our claim to the reefs. We have conformed explicitly to international law as it is manifested in the treaties, tradi tions and conventions of the modem world. • We have never posed a threat to the peace and security of any nation. In fact, the success of our programme would be of great benefit to all peoples of the South Pacific. • The King of Tonga has violated our territorial sovereignty by claim ing the reefs six months after the Republic of Minerva became a sovereign state, and has threatened the peace and tranquility of the South Pacific. • The King of Tonga has refused to discuss the matter with the repre sentative of the Republic of Minerva, and has threatened to arrest anyone found on the reefs. • Tonga has no plans to develop the reefs. The Minerva Reefs are two desolate atolls that vanish below the tide twice each day. They are volcanic m origin and it is inconceivable that they could contain deposits of oil, gold or any other economically advantageous mineral.

• We want to continue our pro gramme to develop the Minerva Reefs to benefit not only ourselves, but the rest of the South Pacific as well. We have the technology and resources necessary to succeed. Yet we have been unjustly infringed upon by another government. We hope to peacefully persuade them to return our claim. Our rights as individuals and citizens of a sovereign state have been violated; we intend to defend those rights.”

Mr Davis is smarting over a snub he got from King Taufa’ahau. He arrived in Nukualofa on June 15, intending to parley with the king who, at the time of the president’s arrival was actually making his declaration of sovereignty over Minerva.

Armed with nothing more lethal than a feasibility study of the develop ment and recommended construction of pier-supported concrete platforms to create an artificial land surface at an estimated cost of $65,000 an acre the president sought an audience with the

king, but there was nothing doing. TIC king wouldn’t see him. An officii told Mr Davis to write to the Tongs Government and state his proposal During his two days in Nukualofl Mr Davis sought to show his film o a similar development of a sea citi planned in the North Sea in the ne:; 50 years. But no one wanted to see i Before he left he said that hi organisation, the American-based coir pany, Caribbean-Pacific Enterprises still contended its claim to the reel; was legal but did not want at presen to get involved in a squabble with ttt United Nations over ownership.

Basing plans on studies of sea cities made by architects and engineer on a project inspired by Pilkingtoc Brothers, the British glass manufao hirers, the Minerva republicans drean of a city with high walls to keep ou the worst of the elements and thr evils of a regimented world.

Minerva, they say, will have population of 30,000. Under the mil of Tonga, it will be an automate* guide to mariners but lonely am unpeopled.