Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/491

 PACIFIC ISLANDS 369

PACIFIC ISLANDS. TONGA.

(Friendly Islands.)

The Tonga or Friendly Islands continued up to 1899 to be a neutral region in accordance with the Declaration of Berlin, April 6, 1886. By the Anglo-German Agreement of November 14, 1899, subsequently accepted by the United States, the Tonga Islands were left practically under the Protectorate of Great Britain, A Protectorate was proclaimed over Tonga on May 19, 1900. In December, 1900, the British High Commissioner, with the assent of the King and native chiefs, assumed the exercise of civil and criminal jurisdiction over all subjects of Foreign Powers in Tonga, and the supervision of the financial administration.

King. — George II., born June 18, 1874 ; succeeded his great-grandfather, George Tubou, in 1893 ; married June 1st, 1899, to Lavinia, who died in April, 1902. He married again in 1909.

There is a Legislative Assembly which meets every three years, composed one half of hereditary nobles, who hold their office subject to good behaviour, and half of representatives elected for three years by the people, every adult male who has paid his taxes and is not criminally incapacitated being qualified to vote.

The kingdom consists of 3 groups of islands, called respectively Tonga, Haapai, and Vavau, and lies between 1^" and 23° 30' south, and 173° and 177° west, its western boundary being the eastern boundary of Fiji. Area, 390 square miles ; population, census, April, 1911, 23,011 Tongans ; 346 Pacific islanders, and 380 Europeans. Capital, Nukualofa. The natives are Christian, mostly Wesleyan Methodists. The revenue, chiefly from customs (28,232Z. in 1911), a poll tax and leases (no land being sold), amounted in 1911 to 51,050^. and the expenditure to 50,012Z, Native produce consists mostly of copra, green fruit, mats, tapa (a textile from bark), and fungus. Imports, 1910, 213,309^. ; 1911, 223,101Z.; exports, 1910, 245,946/.; 1911, 240,103Z. The imports include specie (40,377Z. in 1911), drapery (40,138Z. in 1911), bread stuffs, meats and beverages ; and the exports, copra, 231,479Z. in 1911 ; green fruit, 5,545Z. The imports are chiefly from Australia and New Zealand. The exports chiefly to Australia, New Zealand, and Germany. In 1911 56 vessels of 105,324 aggregate tonnage entered and 53 of 103,444 tons cleared (mainly British.) Two boats of the New Zealand Union Steamship Company visit each of the 3 Tongaii groups every two weeks, one running from Auckland to Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, and Sydney ; the other going in the inverse order.

Since May 1, 1905, British coin is the only legal tender. The weights and measures are the same as in Great Britain. Accounts are kept in pounds, shillings, and pence.

High Gommissioner and Consul- General for the Western Pacific. — Sir Francis Henry May, K.C.M.G,

Agent and Consul. — W. Telfer Campbell.

In the sections devoted to New South Wales and New Zealand mention is made of various annexed Pacific Islands. The following summary (omitting islands described elsewhere) gives the names and positions of islands which are unattached : —

B a