TROUBLE IN FIJI

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22346, 18 February 1936, Page 17

TROUBLE IN FIJI

TRIBAL FIGHTING FIFTEEN NATIVES INJURED MEN WORKING ON GOLDFIELDS [from our own correspondent] SUVA, Feb. 12 A trifling disagreement regarding the treatment of some women who considered that they had been insulted by men of another tribe, was the cause of a general fight among the natives employed at the Tavua gold mines on Sunday, February 9. Labour for the mines is drawn principally from the two provinces iof Ra and Tailevu. The fields are situated near the Ra province and Ra natives predominate. The Emperor mine, which is managed by Mr. E. G. Theodore, ex-Premier of Queensland, and most of the othor mines employ Ra men, but the Loloma mine is worked entirely by Tailevu natives. It was among Emperor and Loloma men that the trouble at first started.

It is reported that some Ra women complained to their menfolk that Tailevu men had insulted them, and following this one of the Tailevu men was "buturakecl." This is a popular form of Fijian punishment anil consists of knocking the victim down and jumping on him. When several Fijians are thus engaged severe injuries can bo inflicted. The Tailevu men, it is said, retaliated by breaking up the Loloma labour lines and damaging the property of the Ra men. Armed With Steel Drills They then decided to report what had j happened to Mr. Theodore and about 50 j of them were on their way to do this j when they were met by some 200 Ra ! men who had assembled from all parts < of the field. They were armed with steel I drills, stones and sticks. Some, it is reported, had cane knives. Several Europeans intervened to prevent trouble, but they were "put on one side Overpowered by weight of numbers the Tailevu men eventually broke and fled to the hills, where scattered fighting occurred throughout the night and on Sunday. Mr. Theodore had sent a message to Ba for police and medical assistance, which was soon forthcoming. In the meantime other Ra men continued to arrive in lorries from all parts of the district, and with their escape blocked by the Ra district in front of them the Tailevu natives proceeded to work further back into the hills, and it is thought that they are making their way home by a circuitous route through the mountains. The news spread quickly through the Ra district and at Raki Raki village quite a large force of Ra men assembled in order to proceed to Tavua. This plan was frustrated by Ratu Tawake, the principal chief of the Ra district, who stopped them from proceeding to Tavua. Hiding in Mine Shalt It is' stated that three men were killed, but this is denied by Government officials. The number injured is said to be 15. Three injured Loloma men hid down the main shaft of the Loloma mine, removing the ladder for about ■2oft. from the bottom to elude pursuit. As a residt of the fight it is extremely unlikely that the Tailevu and Ra men will be able to work on the fields together in future, and it is possible that the authorities will remove a number of undesirable native women. Miners from Tavua state that these women have largely been the cause of the trouble. Although as a general rule the natives get along together very peacefully, tribal jealousies and the feuds of past centuries are still remembered, and at Tavua these quickly flared into action at the instigation of a few I women.