Interesting Notes from Suva

Waikato Times, Issue 12860, 6 May 1914, Page 4

Interesting Notes from Suva

INDIANS IN NEW ZEALAND. THK IM-X'KNT HI IMUCANK. A correspondent from Suva, undoi date April 2X» writes to the \Vaikat< Times as follows: "I noticed by a recent issue ol the Wnikato Times that complaints were being made of the hold that the Indians were getting in New Zealand, especially among the Maoris. Personally 1 think the influx of the coolie to the Dominion should l.e strongly onposod. On the experience which I have h::d uf the Indian here in Suva I I'm convinced that he is a- decided menace to any white country. There is certainly some excuse lor the introduction of the coolie to a Mack man's country like this, hut New Zealand should sr' a stern face against him. During the past week we have had the Supreme Court criminal sessions on in Suva, and quite five-sixths of the huge list dealt with Indians. .Murders, larceny, and similar diaries predominate. Some of the Moodthirsty doings of the Mack devils, as brought out in the evidence, would make your hair stand on end. Then. again, they are so treacherous and crafty that 1 am sure they would play havoc among the Maoris. If they only once start to quarrel over women. New Zealand will he treated to some of the finest mince-meat parties she has ever experienced. Here it is a common thing for a man or woman to he cut to pieces and no concern is noticeable. "The gunboat Torch has just returned from the Union Islands, and when I went aboard to-day T learned that the hurricane which visited that group on January 7 made a clean sweep of the village on the Island of Atafu. The 'blow' lasted only two hours, hut it caused two itidal waves loft high, and these destroyed all the natives' houses and completely demolished the church, wluch was a fairly solid structure of coral and lime, and capable of seating about 300. About 100 trees (coconut) were blown down, and the crop from about 1000 trees was destroyed. The Torch left flour, rice, and sugar in cases r of emergency, but the natives wore' not actually in want."