Fiji News

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 28, 8 March 1884, Page 3

Fiji News

MORE LABOUR OUTRAGES. A. M B. Rose, Governvnt Labour Ag^nt of the Auckland schooner ! Fairlio, was murdered on December 15th by the natives of a small island ' to the eastward of St. Matthias. It would appear that one of the New Ireland men, who had joined the ship to come to Fiji, deserted in a tew days by jumping overboard, and : was sought after . with boats up to midnight in vain Another man recrui ed at New Hanover, bade them good-bye again in a similarly unceremonious manner. A week after, three more New Irishman levanted. On the 15th the Fairlie came to St. Matthias, and two boats wer** despatched to an islet to the eastward of that pia c. A. number of natives crowded down to the »S.K. point Jn the course of an iute;view a native stole some biscuits. Ihe second mate, to mark his sense of this, fired bis revolver in the water This had the effect of scattering the natives in ai-jret lear into the bush, to return wiih spears. With th^se they ma<le an onslaught, and injured two of the crew in tlie head, pierced Mr Hose und r the heart, and studded the body of second mate with their horrible javelins. The " coveritig boat" backed in, but could not recover the body of the last- mentioned, nor his boat with its ammunition and trade. The rest of the unfortunates were rescued, but when the boat reached the ship's side Mr Ro e was a corpse The vessel has arrived in ."Suva with ti6 recruits.