Boating New Zealand - May 2018

136 Boating New Zealand

E

ven yachts as signiicant, and indeed as magniicent,

as Onelua tend to become forgotten very quickly

when they leave a port or perish. Just a few lingering

memories remain in waterfront lore.

he 14 February 1914 issue of New Zealand

Ya chtsman magazine hinted that there was a possibility Onelua

could come back to Auckland, whether for overhaul or sale was not

disclosed. But, once WW1 broke out in August 1914, frivolities

like irst-class yachts lurking in the near Paciic went unreported.

Some essential politics; King George (Siaosi Tupou II) had

with HAROLD KIDD

VINTAGEVIEW

married Lavinia Veiongo in 1899.

heir only child, Salote, was

born in 1900 but her mother

died in 1902. Politically, Salote

was highly unpopular among

the Tongan nobles as they

regarded her mother as too

low-born to be an appropriate

wife for the monarch.

Indeed, the little girl was

so disliked that it was unsafe

for her to venture outside the

palace garden. When King George

remarried to Takipo Afuha’amango

in 1909, a more acceptable marriage,

Salote was put on the next steamer for

Auckland to attend Diocesan School for Girls.

Queen Takipo had two children; daughter Onelua was born

in March 1911 but died at six months; daughter Fusipala was

born in July 1912. As there was no sign of a male heir through

Takipo the hopes of Salote’s supporters rose.

So, on the outbreak of war in August 1914, King George

recalled Salote from New Zealand to have her taught the basics

of Tongan history and culture to equip her to rule the country.

ONELUA PART III

The Spanish Flu of 1918-19

killed more people worldwide than

were killed in the Great War.

Turmoil

in Tonga