LATER FROM FIJI.

Evening Star, Issue 3121, 19 February 1873, Page 2

LATER FROM FIJI.

By way of Auckland we have files to January 11, from which we make the following extracts: — Several merchants and leading men of Levuka have met with a view of initiating a bank in Fiji. They determined to establish a co operative company with a capital of LlO ),000, half paid up, and the company to commence operations within three months. Shares, LlO each. Sheep brought from Melbourne by the Nil Desperandum were sold for 36s per head.

Mr March, H.B.M. Consul, has succeeded in recovering the girl Kate, who was abducted some time back from the British Consulate She has some important information with reference to the Carl.

The trial of Mr Pfiuger, who was arrested on board the Pride of Viti, Ba River, charged with high treason and obstructing the police in the execution of their duty, has been heard in Levuka. Only one witness was called, and the evidence was of the most trifling character. Mr FAnger was discharged, although Mr Warden Brougham insisted on his committal, but was ultimately over-ruled by his brother magistrates. The disgraceful circumstances attending Mr Pflnger’s arrest were thus described at a meeting of Nadroga settlers by an eyewitness. He said that the action of those who arrested Mr Pfiuger was unnecessarily severe and barbarous ; that while five Fijians were ill-treating Mr Pfiuger when down, tearing him by the hair and whiskers, the sergeant-major got a r*-d scarf, wound it round Ills (Mr neck, and deliberately choked him. He (the speaker) interfered to slacken the scarf, but Thurston turned on him, and presenting a revolver threatened to put him ashore m the tin if he said another word# Ihurstou also, in the »oat ovevbswps to Mr

after the handcuffs were on him, and who Was simply expostulating at the treatment he bad received, “ Hold your tongue, sir, or I will have you gagged, and put down the inrehold.” When Mrs PAuger was along* side in the wba’eboat he distinctly saw two or three of the Fijian soldiers Ivt their muskets to club her. Altogether it was one of the most harrowing scenes he had ever witnessed. MORE OUTRAGES. The correspondent of the Auckland Star relates a frightful outrage which took place in Teloga Gaol a few weeks before the schooner left. On the miming of the 10th, a disturbance was heard to arise from the interior of the prison, and it was soon ascertained that it emanated from from a small cell, the area of which was about 12ft. x6ft., in which seven Polynesian prisoners were confined. The Fijian police on guard were too frightened to enter. “Captain” Harding, who is governor of the gaol as well as inspector of police, had in the meantime been aroused, and ho speedily appeared armed with a revolver. He at once entered the cell, and was closely followed by a Fijian sergeant of police carrying a bright light in order to reveal clearly the appearance presented in the inside of this place of confinement. Four out of the seven Polynesians confined in this cell were ironed in various ways, and five of them were Fijian natives; whilst the two others were imported natives from Drummond’s Island. Without any hesitation, Harding, upon his entrance to the cell, coolly fired at one of the natives from Drummond’s Island, who was handcuffed and held down to the ground by a Fijian, when tho fatal bullet entered the head of the native and passed out at his temple, which instantaneously produced death. The man thus killed was known by the name of Brown. The four natives who were ironed were shackled in the following manner One—a Fijian—by having each arm drawn behind his body, and both wrists fastened by irons closely to the floor, '' his man is a troublesome thief from the Rcwa district, and he is undergoing a sentence of imprisonment for robbery. . The other Fijians had each on 5 arm fastened closely to the. floor by means of irons commonly known as ringbolts. The fourth was the Drummond Islander who was kile.l, who had manacles, upon bis wrists. In the night the Fijian prisoners had been attacked by the two Drummond Islanders; and the disturbance which brought Harding on the scene was the result. Two deaths resulted from the disturbance, aud two inquests were held—for both tho Drummond Island natives’ lives were sacrificed, since Arboor, Brown’s companion, died on the 11th. By the time this tumultuous uproar was all over, daylight appeared. Thefirstmquestheld was on the body of Brown, in the mess-room of the gaol, before the coroner, Charles Truscott, and a jury consisting of seven persons, many of whom are directly or indirectly under the unquestionable influence of the Fiji Government. The only witness examined at this enquiry was Harding—the man who had deliberately shot the victim j and, by direction of the coroner, the concision arrived at by the jury was “ Justifiable homicide.” No medical or other extraneous evidence was adduced in order to elucidate the facts in connection with this atrocity. It appears, however, that Harding, iu his testimony, fully admitted the killing and slaying of the Polynesian as described. Upon one of the jurymen being interrogated on the following day relative to this matter, his questioner, expressing the most profound astonishment at the result of the investigation, naively enquired whether he (the juryman) was aware that Brown was handcuffed at the time that be was shot dead by Harding. The juryman answered, “Oh ! no ; 1 never knew anything about his being handcuffed ; nor do I believe any of the other jurymen did. No question about handcuffs was asked by any one.” On the I2th, the second inquest was held. Harding was the first witness examined upon oath, and he deposed that upon the morning of the outrage he fired (in the cell where the disturbance took place) three shots from his revolver. He said, “The third shot I tired at Brown’s head, which killed him immediately. That everything was quiet as soon as I entered the cell. That Brown was handcuffed and held down to the floor by one of the Fijian prisoners. When 1 looked round, Arboor was quiet, and I was then satisfied that everything was all right.” Harding in his further examination then Eaid that the surgeon of the gaol, J. Rutherford Ryley (of Hokitika celebrity), had duly examined the natives who had been maltreated, and that he had said Arboor’s injuries were superficial, aud that he was “ shamming,” He (Harding) saw the froth iu Arboor’s mouth the morning after the outrage was committed, aud told the surgeon, who, however, took no notice of it. After Arboor’s death, by the removal of the skin, a big triangular piece of his skull, extending from ear to ear, came away bodily. He (Harding) knew nothing whatever of a bullet wound under Arboor’s arm. Four Fijians were next examined, being, with one exception, all fellow-prisohers of the two Drummond Island natives who had been killed. They presented a horrible spectacle at the investigation, with heads bandaged, in irons, and moving slowly, with every appearance of extreme weakness. Their emaciated condition amply testified to the insufficiency aqd notoriously unsuitable character of the food allowed them by the authorities. This question, however, is not heeded iu Fiji, for “dried corn ” is deemed to be an excellent diet fpr *‘ niggers.” Subsequently, the surgeon of the gaol was examined, when it appeared that he had made a very restricted post-mortemexami-nation of Arboor’s body, inasmuch as he did not examine the trunk of the subject, being content with tracing the injury existing upon Arboor’s head. As sworn to by Hording, upop the removal of the skin frqra the de : ceased’s head, the surgeon’s evidence showed that a large piece of the skull unexpectedly fell away, proving that Arboor must have received a terrific blow from some blqnt jhstnunent He (the surgeon) was nqt aware until Arboor’s death that he hod sustained any fracture of the skull. The Coroner then summed up, and pointed out that the excellent evidence adduced by Inspector Harding had been amply borne -out by tho testimony of the Fijians, and supported iu some important particulars by the careful surgeon to the gaol; and as the case had undergone such a searching enquiry, he apprehended that no difficulty whatever would lie experienced by them in arriving at a satisfactory verdict. After a short deliberation, the jury returned an open, verdict, not being satisfied with the testimony brought forward!, which would warrant them to say how, or by what means, the death of Arboor had been caused. It is alleged that Arboor had been shot with a revolver underneath his arm, no evidence, however, was adduced to prove the fact. This prisoner was confined under sentence of the Fiji Supreme Court of three years’ imprisonment for manslaughter. ' Brown, however, had only been in Fiji about a fortnight, for he was forcibly removed from his' home by the white persons navigating the British schooner Kate Grant. Jt is alleged that this act was done in consequence of one of the charterers named Ross having met with his death on board tM Kate Grant with' a knife owned by BroWn, used by a Polynesian who made his escape. There is no prdof to show that the kqife with which a Polynesian killed Ross wep ever Brown’s property ; nevertheless he Was taken possession of, and brought to Levuka and thrust into, -gaol. There he remained up to the period of his violent death, in handcuffs, without ever being examined before any tribunal of magistrates, or other authority whatsoever* £ince the enactment of the foregoing tragedy Hiding has been much lauded in the columns of the Fiji Gazette for the praiseworthy manner in which he carries out with unwonted zeal alid efficiency his police ' and gaol duties. .. ,