The Hawaiian gazette., 1895-09-13

'RlDA1 Y Sci
order of the king in council, he pro-
ceeded to have the money counted,
and had it carried on board of the
steamer amid the reproaches and
murmurs of the bystanders.
Preparations for Parliament
In order to encourage the payment
of taxes, a number of deliDquents
were sued and their property sold out
at auction. "The mats, pots and
g,adtu (tapa) were knocked down
without much attempt being made to
obtain the highest available price,
and then as many of the horses, fowls
and pigs as could be caught were sold
at an average price-for the horses
and poultry at eighteen pence each,
and for the pigs at fifteen or twenty
times that amount" This energetic
action of the Government had the de-
sired effect on taxpayers and the
financial sky began to clear up.
The Cabinet now gave political din
ners nightly, at which whiskey and
champagne took the place of kava.
Meanwhile the budget was agreed up
on, and the new code based upon the
existing law of Tonga and the Indian
penal code, was drafted by Thomson
and Tukuaho, and printed in Auck-
land. Then came the elections for
parliament which were held by ballot,
instead of Viud U0ce as under MIR.
Bakers regime. AS delinquent tax
payers were debarred from voting, the
vote cast was small, and four Wesley
ans were elected.
The Opening of Parliament.
At length all was ready for parlia-
ment. The code was drafted, the new
uniforms had come from Sydney, and
the wharf was piled high with sacks
the parliamentary restaurant, which
is an important institution in Tonga.
The opening ceremonies were similar
to but less picturesque than those OF
Hawaii. ION the dais was the Kings
gilt chair, and beside it the royal
crown, the heaviest in the world, re-
clined upon its cushion, supported by
a three legged table. This crown was
bought by Premier Baker from some
merchants in Sydney, and but for the
verdigris in the Fittings, might well
pass for gold" There was band and
a guard of honor at the entrance, and
the presence of the British High Com
missioner and of the officers of II. B.
MI S. CorGelia added distinction to
the scene within.
When the first notes of the Tongan
National Anthem were heard, all
rose, and the old King, plainly clad
and erect for all his ninety years,
strobe in, looking "every inch a
King" The speech from the throne
was read by his great-grandson, who
has since succeeded him.
The Tongan parliament is unica-
neral, the Mobiles sitting on the one
side and the Commons on the other,
numbering siXty-eight in all, ipclud-
ing the Cabinet, who have seats en-
oticio among the Mobiles. On the
whole, high degree of decorum was
maintained, the commoners being
still very much in awe of their hered-
itary chiefs.
Parliamentary Hash.
Near the parliament house stood a
long, white building (the counterpart
of Arion halD, within which two long
tables Zone for the Lords and the other
for the Commons) were set at noon
each day, with the fat of the land.
"The lords were allowed q glass of
sherry and glass of beer each; the
Cabinet Ministers half tumbler of
rum in addition; the Commons had to
content themselves with beer only"
A bevy of twenty Tongan damsels
officiated as mattresses.
During the session the friends of
Havea, a chief of Haapai, applied for
leave of absence for him, and it was
whispered that his illness was I'M
namable; that leprosy, the scourge of
request was granted, and Mr.. Thorn
son improved the occasion by urging
"the necessity of isolating infected
persons in order to check the alarm
ing increase of the disease"
Farewell Scenes.
At length the revised Code was
passed, after fierce contest over the
Taxes bill; the Budget was also
passed, and there was sufficient bal
ance in the Treasury to meet all
immediate liabilities. The fdkahinO-
hino, or expounder, felt that he could
now honorably retire and leave his
colleagues to complete the work of the
session. After receiving the thanks
of the parliament, who atterward had
set of silver plate presented to him,
and taking leave of the grand old
King, he was escorted to the steamer
by the band and all the members of
both houses. The last farewells were
exchanged, the little steamer sped out
into the great deep, and soon the mar
row strip Of sand fringed with cocoa
nut palms sank below the horizon,
while ''all the brief turmoil of Tonga
and its turgid politics slid into a
pleasant memory as unreal as the
clouds that hung over the spot on the
horizon where it had vanished"
w. d. A.