RIOT IN FIJI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13891, 1 May 1907, Page 5

RIOT IN FIJI.

TROUBLE WITH INDIANS. SEVERAL WOUNDED. (Per United Press Association,) rv t •! AUCKLAND, April 30. Details of the riot at Labasa (Fiji) are received by the Talime. On April 15 fifty-two Indians proceeded to tho poiico station at Labasa and complumed to the magistrate that- an agent ill India had recruited them under false pretences They were told that thev were* to work for the Government as soldiers and policemen or similar work. They denied Slgnei ' W1 agreement to work for the Sugar Company, The magistrate proniisetl to ascertain the terms of their agreement, and advised them in tho meanwhite to return to work and' await the result of his inquiries. The magistrate atEo promised to impiire into ft complaint regarding their rations. Some of the men, who expressed their intention to return to work, were assaulted by 10 of their companions. Warrants were issued for the arrest of the assailant*, and an arrest made by i armed police. Tho remainder of tho strikers followed to tho police station. Inspector Boldero and six -constables, with few bayonets, marched the latter back to the plantations. On arrival at the plantations the Indians armed themselves with knives, hoes, and'spades, and prepared to resist the police. They were, warned to halt, but continued to advance, and a few shots wcro fired, three Indians being wounded, ono shot through the leg, another through the arm, and one in the hand. The police arrested five of. the Indians and took them to the station.

An eye-witness of tho shooting incident at Labusa says that at about H o'clock ho was near tho Punjabi lines at Labasa. iub-inspcctor Boldero, with a largo nuin- « °f Indians and Fijian police armed with rifles with fixed bayonets, and about 40 or 50 natives in war-paint, armed with clubs and spears, came to tho lines and rounded up about 100 of the Punjabis. The men were met by several Europeans on horseback, including a man supposed to bo Mr Duncan (tho Sugar Company's manager), who tried to reason with them. It is said that four or five Punjabis went forward as spokesmen, and said they would not work any more. Mr Duncan put his hand on tho shoulder of one of the Punjabis, and whilst he was 6peaking the Punjabi made a movement as if to draw his slieath-knifc.

Fearing bloodshed, someone gave the order cither to " Get ready " or to " Fire." 'lhc result was that the rifles spoke, and four mon were injured. Ono man, who was shot through tho' arm, put up his hand to shield his face, with tho result that a bullet cut off his litUe finger and grazed his forehead. A second man received a bullet in tho thigh; a. third got it _in tho calf.; whilst a fourth man received a bayonet wound in tho shoulder. Some of the ringleaders were seized, and the rest went back to tho linos.

The Sugar Company's management then went and consulted with Mr Russell (Immigration Inspector), and Mi' Duncan told Mr Russell that he would have nothing moro to do with tho Indians; that they would bo taken back to Suva, as they had broken their agreement. The men struck work on tlio Monday. Various reasons nro assigned for their conduct. One was that they wcro .put on task work, and out of 8d per day had 4d deducted for rations. Their flour was also stopped. The main cause, however, seems to be that tho men object to work in the cane fields.

'Most, of them aro ex-soldicrs of tho Indian Army. One was a sergeant. He expected that he would lie put on to police and similar duties in Fiji.