Bomb Tragedy on Rotuma
p. 13 · Read in the full issue
Rotuma
From a Special Correspondent rE bomb which exploded on Rotuma (Fiji Group) on May 6 this year, killing nine, seems to have had as many lives as a cat.
In the first place it was found by women fishing; it was removed from the coral reef, where it was tightly wedged, and taken home in their canoe; and from that time, until it exploded, it was carried hither and yon with impunity.
Two bovs took it in their canoe to show some friends, and a Pepjei woman quar relled with her husband for bringing it into the kitchen, as she was nervous of it. Her husband merely laughed, de claring that when he returned from the bush he would dismantle it. However, during his absence, his wife heaved the thing out of the kitchen and nushed and rolled it back into the sea. where it lay, seen and handled by many.
A Rotuman called Tonuava finally took it into his house; but, when warned by an ex-soldier of its danger, he and other natives carried it dow r n to the beach.
While he and another. Petero, were standing talking about it, seven boys from the Roman Catholic school gathered around it.
One of the boys began to chip the metal of the nose with his knife. “This looks like gold,” he said. A moment later the bomb exploded.
Tonuava and the seven boys were blown to pieces. Petero was severely in jured, and died in hospital two hours later. Before he died, however, he was able to tell how the boy had chipped the bomb with his knife.