HURRICANE AT FIJI.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9892, 19 January 1895, Page 4

HURRICANE AT FIJI.

: [BY TELEGRAPH.] Auckland, Friday. : The Ohau, from Fiji, brings news of a destrnctlve hurricane there on January 7th and Bth. Of the five churches of : which Suva lately boasted the Presbyterian, Wesleyan, and Native Polynesian Church of Eogland collapsed entirely. The European Church of England was partly unroofed, but the Koman Cathollo structure came off with little damage. The Government experienced considerable loss in the destruction of the Customhouse and bonded store, a two storied building, totally wrecked. Of the smaller stores many were entirely destroyed. The stores and warehouses of the larger merchants came off beat, their losses being comparatively light in comparison with their risks. - Boat-builders with open sheds suffered considerably, some of the sheds having fallen on their work. Many houses were roofless and verondahlesa, with outhouees and fences only represented by dobrls. The family of Mr Bentley, of the Customs, suffered considerable exposure and privation by their dwellings being blown away. The patients and attendants of tho hospital had a bad time, it being deemed advisable to remove tha former to a smaller but stronger structure. The storm raged in the locality with considerable fury. At Nausovi the mill was wholly uninjured, but the roof of the manager's house was damaged, also the mechanic)' barracks. The officers' quarters were blown to the ground, and a portion of the root of the accountant's and other buildings ou the estate were more or less damaged. The ■bore of Bolzlock and Co. was unroofed, and considerable damage done. Several houses on the river are down and otherwise injnred. At Upper Kewa the Btorea ot Hurley and Stephens were totally wrecked. Mr Renole's houso is unrooted, and several buildings more or less damaged at Virio, Lower down the butchery of E, Corbett nnd Co, and the store of Mr John Randall were partially unroofed, and that of Mr J. liennie at Cower liewa is in a like plight, while Ihe dwelling bouse was completely ruined. At Levnka the barque Ophir was wrecked on a reef with 700 tODB of copm. The barque Dlonc, from Africa, bad her masts cab away, which saved her from foundering. Several small craft were driven to sea. The houses owned by Messrs Uarrick and Martin were wrecked, and the occupants had a narrow escop?. The Ohau met the hurricane. Ton Tavinni had a narrow escape from being driven on a reef. Tho entire native village at Übutba Bay was blown to pieces, and the village of Wairiki was levelled, excepting tho Roman Catholic Church. The outters Shark and Eleanor and nn unknown schooner foundeiod off Tavluni. It In believed all tho crews were lost at the Island of Tavluni. The native towns suffered severely, only I one or two houses being left. The j flolandurst sugar estate estimates ids loss at £1500, and the cocoanut plantation is ruined. Bega Is considerably wrecked, Mokogia and Nakoga suffered severely. The cutter Senlevo was wrecked, and two others (names unknown), are reported wrecked on the Wokapu. The bstque Opbir vtas sold at unciion for £300, aud the cargo for £570, tha purchaser being Hoerder and Comp'iuy,