Fijians Adrift On A Raft

WHEN, during the cyclonic weather at the end of January, heavy floods came down the rivers on the south coast of Viti Levu, in Fiji, a number of native families escaped on rafts and boats.

One family, consisting of a father, mother, five young children and a young Fijian man, hurriedly piled all their household goods upon a raft and floated away on the flood waters in the Navua River. The current was so strong that they were swept out to sea. When they reached the broken water, at the reef, the raft toppled about so much that they were forced to throw everything overboard, except their mats.

During the next three days they drift ed eastward along the south coast of Viti Levu. and round past the island of Ovalau, seeing in the distance the towns

of Suva and Levuka. During the days they were blown close to the land, but the breeze at nights always blew them to sea again. They were in desperate straits, owing to lack of food and water, but they found coconuts floating far out at sea, and these sustained life.

When the raft was near Mubulau, the young Fijian swam ashore, and gave the alarm, and the family was rescued after four days and nights at sea. All were taken to hospital, where they made a good recovery.

After more than 25 years’ residence in the Cook Islands, Mr. Robert McKegg, well-known as managing director of Cook Islands Trading Co. Ltd., Rarotonga, has decided to live in New Zealand in future —probably in. Auckland. He will leave Rarotonga this month. He will retain his interest in the Cook Islands Trading Company.