Fiji News.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3562, 27 May 1880, Page 2

Fiji News.

By the arrival of the s.s. Southern Cross, we are in receipt of advices from Levuka to the 19th inst. The following are the latest items of news:—

The latest on dit is that the well-known cutter Monitor will convey Dr Brower and a company of divers from Levuka to start a pearl-shell fishery. Dr Cruicksha.ik, Mr Hobday, the Crown Solicitor, a clerk and interpreter, and the newly-appointed Magistrate for Vanua Levu, left Levuka in the schooner Mona for Savu Savu, and arrived at Wai Wai, Mr Chippendall's plantation, on the following afternoon. The body of a Polynesian, who had been buried about three weeks, was exhumed aad examined by the Medical Officer, who found that no bones were broken, but that the lungs were gone. Mr Chippendall was then, put upon his trial for causing the death of this man. It appeared from the evidence of the Polynesian and Fijian labour, that on the 25th of March, about ten days before the man's death, he was suddenly taken sick while at work, and Mr Chippendall thinking that the man was shamming, as everybody knows that Polynesians often do, walked up to the man and kicked him and told him to go on with his work; but upon the man representing a second time that he was sick and could not work, Mr Chippendall sp.id to him: "If you are really sick you had better go to your house," and the man went. In about ten days time from that day the Polynesian died; and the. other Polynesians were of opinion that the man died from the effects ox Mt Chippendall's kick. Hence the chargfatf murder; but this, however, was commuter to one of manslaughter, upon which serious charge Mr Chippenclali stands committed to take his trial at the enduing sittings of the Supreme Court. He was admitted to bail in the sum of £1,000; his own recognizances of £500, and two sureties of £250 each being accepted. The Governor has commuted the sentence of death passed upon the prisoner Mkiui for the murder of Adi Lolo at Gau on February last, to 20 years penal servitude.

In the High Commission's Court, Thos. Simpson, remanded by Her Majesty's Deputy Commissioner from Eotumah to Levuka, was charged with cutting and wounding one Kimueli at Eotumah on December 24th, 1879. The charge was altered by order of the Court from cutting and wounding to one of murder. The evidence of Captain Stammer John was taken for the prosecution, and that of Mr Superintendent Seed for the defence, and the trial was adjourned, to be resumed at Eotumah on Tuesday, the 18th instant, for the examination of further evidence in the case.—Star.