NATIVE SOLDIERS AMOK.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 71, 24 March 1919, Page 6

NATIVE SOLDIERS AMOK.

TROUBLE AT RAROTONGA.

DAMAGE ESTIMATED OVER £iooo

The island steamer Flora, which ar rived at Auckland this morning, brought news of a riot that occurred at R aro tonga recently, when 300 returned native soldiers were landed there. The soldiery practically took possession of the place Shops were entered, three stores in particular being more or less wrecked. At one of these stores the loss in good" taken by the soldiers, together with gen! eral damage, was estimated at £1000 One shopkeeper, it was stated, was very badly treated, being knocked dowa and kicked while he was on the ground. He was rescued by the sergeant of police! who quelled the rioters with a revolver! When the steamer Flora arrived at Rarotonga she was commandeered by the Government to carry those of the soldiers who did not belong to Rarotonga back to their own homes at Atui and Mauke.

Previously, the Flora had been engaged at Papeete in helping to tow off a French warship that had run aground. By the time she arrived back at Rarotonga the bananas that she was expected to load there had been lying on the wharf for a week. The fruit wae therefore condemned by the island inspector on the ground that it would be bad before it reached New Zealand. The Flora therefore, came to New Zealand without the bananas, carrying instead oranges. eocoanuts, and phosphates.