THE ISLAND HURRICANES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1364, 15 February 1912, Page 5

THE ISLAND HURRICANES.

FURTHER DETAILS. WOHST TOR. TniRTY YEARS. (Bi Tslteram.—Prosa Aisocintloti.l Auckland, February 14. Further details are given in the. SuVft new.-paper files just to hand by the Vancouver mail regarding the hurricane which recently swept over the Fiji Islands and wrought'great devastation.

lidbasa and the Ynsawn groups seem to have been the worst sufferers. The former place caught the full force of the "blow," and the fell to 28.01 standard. The damage was estimated by the manager there at .£IO,OOO. A cablegram was sent to Sydney for carpenters and material. The Fiona was lying there, authored off Malau, and, although she had two anchors out, and was steaming towards them, she dragged and grounded, but got off again without any damage being done, as she only went on the mud. Several lighters were sunk alongside her, however. A cut Her, which arrived at Suva from the Yasa.vas, brought a terrible tale of woe. Feirfiil damage had licen done to the whole of the group. Whole towns hnd been destroyed, coconut trees uprooted, stone churches blown down, and boats and cullers wrecked. So terrific wns the force of the wind that the well-known rock on the reef opposite Korovatn, shaped like an anvil, and with a coconut tree growing out of it, was blown over. The centre of the storm passed over Korovalu about" 1.10 a.m. on the Sunday, when (here was a caJm of about half nil hour, after which the wind came with terrific force from the «ou(h-easl. During the lull the glass registered its lowest—2B.4s. The destructive part of the hurricane wtn over by (i p.m. on Sunday, though the, wind continued to blow strongly all day.

The local Union Steamship" Company's ofliee has received some additional information from the Suva agent of (he company relating to the hurricane. The message slates that the disaster will prove a serious set-back to tho colony of Fiji. Almost the entire group has suffered—the copra from the effects of the vind, and (he bananas from the Hoods. The Rewa River had a very hi'.'h rise of •)'> feel in one place, and it will be at least six months before the. lwnann exports return to their normal condition, although there will probably be enough fruit to satisfy the Sydney and New Zealand markets.

The hurricane did giw.t damage at Savu Savu Bay, and it is expecled that il will lie several months before that district returns (o its normal condition. The island of llaapai, in the Tonga group (news concerning which was received by a wireless message from the Atua) suffered very considerably. The stranier Uorrigo was stranded at (he ],au group, and it will co.st some hundreds of pounds to repair her.

inlercstine: details concerning (hi* hurricane were also embodied in letters which arrived at. Auckland 10-day for (ho lion. .1. 13. Turner, Mayor of tiji, who has been slaying hero for some few weeks. Tho writers .slate that the damage to the banana and cane crops is not so bad as was at first reported, the loss being about 20 per cent, of each crop. The hurricane at the islands of Vavua, Levu, and Taviuni was tho worst that has happened for thirty years. Jl'ConneU's btore and stock, together with XlliO in cash, was washed entirely away. It is estimated that the coconut plantation has been put back fhreo veal's at least. Bell's sawmill, at Drokoti, lost to the extent of perhaps JI3OOO. Tho buildings were blown down, and timber (both sawn and logs) was washed out to sea. It is reported that the well-known chief Joni Madraiwiwi Koko of Ba province, has been lost, lie is said to have left Ba in a, cutter for the Yasawas, and has not boon heard of since. Tin's chief is admitted to Ire the l.vst Vij'an in the islands, and lie is n iremb"' , *' t '" , legislative Council. TT ; c i'-- • 'inich. felt by both Fijians and whites.