The Storm at Fiji.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 28, 3 February 1904, Page 2

The Storm at Fiji.

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND. l-'cb. li. The Wunnku, which arrived Unlay from r'iii, iiring-s fuller information, of the hurricane. I.c.vuka is no more a town : but merely a collection of thatch, iveds, an'd rafters. Over two ilnmi houses fell, leawi.g only Iwo or three .suvniling. U'li.'ii moiming- dawned after the storm there was witnessc.) an awful scene of desolation, niwl confusion. Houses were unroofed, stores flattened, cocoanut lives stripped, and general ruin was wrought througi.!oiil the town. The steamer Adakeva was in the height of the hurricane at midnight. In pitch 'darkness a '>oat was got out anil lifebelts served to the crew, who waited to sec if the vessel would liolM on. At 2.:tU the boat was smashed away, and the vessel was bumping heaviiy. At .">.;Sll a.m. the cables were shipped and the steamer was beached on the sand at NaiUorokoro. She was valued at over i;■•IDOO, and insured in a Sydney oilier (or XHIIOO.

The Alice, a ketch belonging to Celnv, was at anchor in the harbour and disappeared during the night with two of her native crew on board. She may have sunk at her aii.-hora-ge or have been blown to .'■."■ a. Capinin ltnrknell was ashore, the schooner .Minnie Hale dragged her anchors aim! sank.

The Norwegian barque Moreland, .->lio tons, was Ciiugiht in Ihe storm while at <mclior. At ;i a.m. a shock was fell through the ship, and it was found the vessel was grinding im the rocks. The captain cut ana) the fore unit main lining and the masts went, immediately, taking with them t'he mizzen topmast. This eased (he ship, and she seemed to come oli the rocks; but was soon, on the reef agu'in and capsized to starhoard. The after part of the vessel disappeared under the waves, only the forecastle head remaining above water. It was impossible, in the darkness, with the hurricane ragging, to say where the snip or crewwas. The c.rcw took refuge in the forepart of the vessel from about 4 a.m. until -1 o'clock in the afternoon. !• leven men hung on to the wire around the bows and some in the rig'ging, in the- raging- storm, every sea going' eight o\cr Ihem. They had absolutely no shelter. Jn the morning they got ashore in the lifeboat. The liiirf|iie was found to be a tidal wreck, and was sold lor HI,