HURRICANE AT FIJI

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4311, 21 March 1901, Page 3

HURRICANE AT FIJI

GREAT DAMAGE AT LEVTJKA. PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, March 20. News from Fiji states that a disastrous hurricane Recurred on 13th ami ■l4th March, and almost, ~wi’ecked,vtljo town of Levuka. Out of twelve vessels in harbour ten were wrecked—mostly native vessels. Several buildings were blown completely away, and others seriously damaged, including the Wesleyan mission house. The Xlev Mr Brown and his family had a narrow escape. Mr Biown had Jus teeth knocked out by a pieco of timber. The roof was blown ptf tho Wesleyan Ghui'th, Most of tllO native liousoa jn Ovalgn wore blown down, l 3E'lm Bocoftuuts suffered severely, fha diiiiuige to united nt twenty tiujussu.d segntw. Dater. . jpgiinr details show timt on tho lag alter tho bumoane Dovpka. presented" » pitiable sight, bouses, cutters and Udivtij nf all dpßcriptiQnft hidni; In n ml** pd jnmbla oh the, beach, r *iio ».«, Adi Jlaroga had a boat blown away find damage (Idno to tho deck gear; two schooners were high and dry on the beach mid damaged; six cutters were totally wrecked;’ and two native cutters had disappeared. The disasters on shore were of a more extensive character. The barbourmns ■ tor’s office, except the fleer, was completely blown away. The bonded store had its roof shifted bodily off, and was otherwise damaged. The seawall was destroyed. The Levuka scboolbouse had the roof blown off at one side. At Brown and Joskic’s' and Hcdstromo’s copra store the ’ roof wa» blown completely away. Two stores—one formerly occupied by Mrs Schule, and McMridden's bakery—had both collapsed. The late Mr W. 1.. Thomas’s office-,had its roof off. The roof was off Henry Marks and Co.’s store. At- the Royal Hotel a cottage had two sides blown out flat. The Grazier Aleut Company ' had its premises laid out flat. The soap and oil works had the icof blown off. Messrs J. C. Smith and Co.’s store had lire roof off and the side blown out. Bolitho’s shop was flattened Out. The Cooperative Butchery was blown down. Air John Aliller’s store was laid out. A bridge at .Cajyai was turned completely upside down, and a number of private houses wore flattened outi The force of the wind 1 was very great. Reliable authorities state that so. much damage has never before been occasioned at Levuka by a similar visitation.