Minor Riot On Timber
p. 135 · Read in the full issue
Island
44 Natives Sent to Gaol
)N the Southern Solomons island of Vanikoro, at the kauri tim ber settlement, on Christmas •ay, there was a serious disturb nce r when a large party of Santa ruz labourers attacked two Euro ean bush-bosses. The white men ere dragged from their huts and )lled on the ground, but not sriously injured.
The District Commissioner, astern Solomons, arrived in muary, held an inquiry lasting iree days, and then sentenced 44 mta Cruz labourers to terms in 101 ranging from 3 to 9 months, hey were put onto the Govern ent ship Kaurimarau, and taken the Government station at Kiri iri.
There was a disturbance on Vani iro some two years ago, when 16 ;ef Islands natives went on strike r„higher wages. After two weeks ithout pay or rations, they re med work.
The Vanikoro Timber Co. have en working the kauri forests on e island for about 27 years, mostly th Santa Cruz and Reef Islands xmr. Until three years ago, these anders had an excellent reputa
tion for good conduct and industry.
The removal of the Santa Cruz natives caused a labour crisis. A plane from Santo in January took six Fijians to Vanikoro —one assis= tant engineer, one carpenter, and four truck and tractor drivers.
Mr. A. Hayling went to the Reef
Islands and recruited 25 natives. On his way back his boat ran onto a reef at Utupua. It got off eventually, taut when it was tied up at Vani koro, it was found that the engine was very badly damaged. A native attendant had used benzine instead of diesel oil.