FUTUNA ISLAND TRAGEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 78, 31 March 1908, Page 5

FUTUNA ISLAND TRAGEDY.

FAMINE STBICKEM NATIVES. Captain Allen, of the steamer Maori, trading from Samoa to Fiji, who -was a passenger by the steamer Atua to Sydney, states that while.the steamer Maori was at Wallis Island recently, just two days before the Wellings assault took place at the Island of Ifotuna, the natives showed signs that they desired to capture tho steamer Maori, and the captain was only able to clear the ship at the point of his rifle.

The British steamer South Australian, on arrival at Fiji recently, reported that the natives of Fotuna were actually starving as-the result of a hurricane in April last. The murderous attack made on the purser of the steamer was believed to be in some way associated with the dire straits to which the natives had been reduced. The Governor of 3Ne\v Caledonia, in a telegram to the Governor of Fiji, dated March 12, 190S, said: "I express to you my regret for the outrage of which the purser of the British ship South Australian lias been the victim. I am asking the commander of the Naval Division (French) now at Melbourne to send a man-of-war as soon as possible to investigate the matter in concert with the French Resident at Wallis Island, and to bring the offender to justice. The result will be communicated to you by my successor. I visited Fotuna in November last. The natives had abundance of provisions, and were busy planting. The copra trade had been ruined by the cyclone, but there can be no famine. 1 thank you for your offer, and send my best wishes.—Liotard."