A FIJIAN HURRICANE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 88, 23 March 1931, Page 8

A FIJIAN HURRICANE

A TOUCH OF HUMOUR INDIAN FRYING FOOD CHINESE PLAY ON ROOF TOP SUVA, March 10. In all the turmoil of the flood in the Rewa River delta there were touches of humour. Mr. Wilson, controller of customs, was rescuing people in the Union Steam Ship Company’s lifeboat and on Tonga Island found an Indian with two servants, who refused to get into the boat, as he was busy frying chupatties, which he wanted to take to his family across the river. It seems that he had taken his family to safety, but they had no food, so he returned with the aid qf his men in a small punt—in itself a heroic accomplishment—so that he could cook the chupatties. He said at last he would come if Mr. Wilson would wait until the food was cooked.

While the water rose, with threats of death following in its train, Mr. Wilson and his brave Fijians waited until the delicacy was ready for transport. Then, as the lifeboat went down the river watching, for any survivor, a Chinese, store hove in sight. The water was half-way up the roof and three Chinese sat on the roof seemingly playing some game and quite unconcerned. They refused to leave, although signs were given to them to come down. The water, happily, had then reached its peak. At Naililili, the Catholic mission, the water was over the grounds and inside the priests’ house and the boat ran alongside the house. As one cruised round looking for refugees, Indians could be seen sitting on ridge poles, or even inside. They had a profound dislike to leaving their homes. One man was found sitting with several fowls beside him perched upon some cases inside his store, with about a foot’of air between his roof-tree and. the water. ~

A European had to force the iron roof off to get out of his house.