DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE AT FIJI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 53, 21 March 1901, Page 2

DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE AT FIJI.

[PBB PBJSSB ASBCRIATIOH.] Auckland, March 20. News comes from Fiji of a disastrous hurricane <>« Marehjjfthand 14th at ]>vuka, which wa° Out of twelve vossels in the ton were wrecked, mostly native vessels. * On shorn several buildings were blown completely away, and others certainly danonged, including the Wesleyan missioa house. The Kg v. Mr. Brown and his family had a narrov escape. Mr, Drown had his teeth knocked out by a piece of timber. The roof was blows lofftho Wesleyan Church, and most of (ho native houses in Ovalau were blown down. Cocoanute ani all vegetation suffered severely, it is eeti- [ mated that the damage is £20,000. Latbb. Fuller details of the hurricane at Levuka show that in the morning Levuka presented a pitiable sight! Houses, cutters, and boats of all descriptions wore jumbled on the beach, ; Che s,s. Adi Riroga had a boat blown :iwny and damagi to her deck gear. Two schooners were high and dry on I the bnacb, damaged. Six flutters wore trtally wrecked, and two native cutters disappeared. The disasters on shore were of a more serious character. The harbourmaster's office, except the floor, whs completely blown away. The bonded store's reef was shifted bodily off and otherwise damaged. The sea wall was destroyed. The Levuka school house had the roof blows completely off one side. Browne and Joske's and HeoVrome's copra stars had the roof blown completely away. Two stores formerly occupied by Mrs. Schule and Mie Madden'e bakery beth collapsed. The late Mr. W. J. Thomas' office had the roof blown ofl. The roof of Henry Marks and Go's store was blown off and Royal Hotel cottage had iwo sides blown out. The Grazier M«at Co. bed their premises laid out flat. The Soap and Oil Works had the. roof blown off J. O. Smith and Oo.'i store had the roof blown off and a side blown out. Bolitpo's shop was flattened out. The Co-operative Butchery was blown down. John Millar's star* was laid out. A bridge at Cawsi was ui-ned completely upside down. A number of private houses were fiattentdi out. The force of the wind was very great. Reliable authorities state that so much damage was never before occasioned at Levuka by similar visitations.