Asiatic Riots

Bitter Fights In New

Caledonia

Savage fights between Tonkinese and Javanese labourers, employed at the Guerioum Mins, at Kone, in New Cale donia, are reported in a recent issue of Le Bulletin du Commerce (Noumea).

The trouble started when about 100 Tonkinese and 60 Javanese were shel tering from the rain under a big shed. A Tonkinese inadvertently stood on the foot of a Javanese, and in a few mo ments a general “dogfight” was in pro gress. The foremen energetically re stored order, and the men returned to work.

But that night, in the camps, serious rioting began. The Javanese, en masse, attacked the huts of the Tonkinese, breaking in through doors and win dows. Furious fighting ensued, the combatants using bottles, iron- bars, stones and, in some cases, revolvers.

The foremen did their utmost to quell the riot. The Tonkinese, before the belligerent and menacing attitude of their adversaries, beat a prudent re treat. Four Tonkinese were seriously injured.

A week later, the Javanese again, at night, attacked the Tonkinese camp, and assaulted the inmates with bottles.

The officials were better prepared, this time, and quickly intervened, and 36 Javanese were arrested. Eighteen fled into the bush, but were subsequently captured at Voh, near Tieta.

It would appear that, while the use of indentured Asiatic labour may be a very good thing for developmental pur poses in the Pacific Islands, it is not wise to mix your Asiatics.