Tonga's King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV has today called for an independent audit to review salaries of the kingdom's public service.

He was responding to a petition that was presented to him on Monday by a march of 3,000 striking civil servants and their supporters.

The Tonga Government's information unit, reported at about 5 p.m., that the Royal Command , was , in a single paragraph, : "It is His Majesty's pleasure that Government brings an independent auditing company at the earliest convenience to review the actual status of the discontent pertaining to the costs and processes associated with the Civil Servants Salary Raise."

The Prime Minister Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata announced that the government had actioned the Royal Command this morning "with the objective of completing this exercise as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, the Public Service Association were meeting this evening to consider the response from the King and to decide on the future of the strike action.