POLYNESIAN CALLOUSNESS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 April 1906, Page 2

POLYNESIAN CALLOUSNESS.

i TWO NATIVES DROWNED. REFUSED HELP Jit COMRADES. A correspondent at the Island of Mangaia sends the following to the Auckland Herald Another canoe accident occurred here on the afternoon of February 6, while -no Taviuui was in the roadstead, of Oneroa, this time attended with, the loss of two natives of the island, named Koroiti and Kopuiti. Their canoe, which was alongside the steamer at the time, was turned completely over by a sling of boxes being hoisted upon dock from Ua’s canoe, outside of them, catching in their outrigger. At this time the Taviuni, which, owing to the north-east gale, had drifted a considerable distance for the shore, started to go ahead to get close up to the landing place again, the two canoes in trouble dropping astern, unnoticed by the ofhcers. This kind of accident is a common one alongside the steamer, and little notice is taken, as the natives arc such good hands in the water. Ua and the three men in his canoe set to work at once to save their boxes of fruit, which were floating about in the sea. While so cngaed, Tore, the third occupant of Koroiti’s canoe swam over to Ua, and begged him to go with his canoe and assist Koroiti to right his boat, which was drifting bottom upwards some distance away, with Koroiti and Kopuiti hanging on to it, and calling for assistance. Ua refused to leave his cargo for the purpose of helping the unfortunate men, but shouted out to them to swim over to his canoe as Tero had done. Whether able or not, this they did not attempt to do. Ua and his men then paddled away for the shore, taking Tore with them, but leaving Koroiti Kopuiti, who were loud in their lamentations, to their fate. When near the reef, Ua told Tore to swim ashore, which he did, and get another canoe to save his companions. Ua then went alongside the Taviuni, discharged his cargo, and returned to the shore for another load, making no attempt to go after the castaways, or even to report the mater on board the steamer. As soon as the affair was reported to the Resident Agent, Major Largo, ho asked Captain Chrisp to go after the castaways, at the same time sending Tore to point out the place whore they were last seen. The steamer cruised about the spot for some time, all hands on the lok-out, but without success, the unfortunate men had either in the time that had elapsed, gone down, or their water-logged canoe had drifted away out of sight with the southwest current prevailing at the time.

The facts as above given were elicited at the public enquiry held by the Resident Magistrate the day after the steamer left, when Ua was severely censured for his inhuman conduct i nleaving the men to their fate. But many of the other natives engaged working cargo ---at day are not blameless in the matter, for after Tore reached the landing place and the dangerous plight of Koroiti and Kopuiti became known, not a canoe would go to their assistance, either before or after the steamer to search for them. incident shows the natives in rather an unfavourable light. They are singularly callous in matters of this kind, os a rule, and will not put themselves about to succour the distressed, whether they are relations or friends, or ato well paid for Hi ' ■ . '