Middlesbrough & Stockton Gazette and General Advertiser. — 1875-06-10 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE FIJI ISLANDS. An epidemic of net:ad.:a introduced at Leta:Lira, it is believed, by Her Majesty's ship nide, when that ship returned from Sydney with the King and his two sons last January, has assumed alarming propertions. The Lew= certeseonlence of the Sydney Morning Herald, writing on March 2, says:—' The ['weeks have been anti are still producing sal distress among the native popn'ation. Hundreds have already died, and the ravages of the disease still continass ana'aited. Rata Susanea, half brother to Thftomban, and Roko, a Governer of the Central Provi tee of Fiji, one of the most intelligent chiefs, and his,daly respected by all classes of persons, die' a few days ago, and Rimva, the troubb s old chief of Alienate, also died on Saturday evening last, at Nasova. Eight or ten deaths have occurred almost evety day for the last fortnight or three weeks. The disease has made its appearance in several of the f =dies of the white residents, especially the eltildren, though some adults hare also been visited by it; but as none of the whites have died, the natives are greatly perplexed. They say it is a big sickness which has cones from Sydney, and why do not the whites die as well as themselves? Seeing this is not the case, they have come to the conclusion that, to use their own expression, God is anery with them for giving away their hind, and so He has sent the siekrees and death to punish them.' They say further that the white men bronght the sickness to Fiji, that the natives may a;1 be k lied, and the white men get all the land. Under this impression, whenever they are takea sick, they refuse to teke either food or medicine, or to obey any of the directions given by the medical officers. However much they are cautioned against exposing themselves to the cold, the moment their attendant leaves them they rush out of their houses, jimp into the first water hole they can find, and drink cold water to any extent ; the consequence is that t ey are almost invariably attacked with dysentery, which very speedily carries them off." The Melbourne Argea of the 19th Aunt says:—" According to the latest reports from Fiji, via New Zealand, the epidemic contiaues with fearful mortality among the natives. They are paralysed, and refuse Si assiet each other. All the head chief* are dead. Three hundred n itives have died la the island of Ovalau alone, anti in the other islands a greater number have succumbed. The disease, which is always followed by dysentety, has assumed a form of plague. Several of the native town e are depopulated. A 4 one town the bodies lay for days uncovered, and were man 4 dby pigs. The natives are only bur, ing the bodies a few inches below the surface, ant the late rains have washed the soil off. The efilavium emitted is sickening, anti the worst resnits are anticipated. The natives are teo panic-stricken to obey the directioas issued by the Government for the suppreeltion of the malady. Trade is at a standstill."  Her Majesty the Qtven of the Nethertm Is is expected to artive in L.nulon the w‘.tk after next, an.i will zuako a stay of several weeks. MURDER or • EtRIIER.--A. farmer b.ka been robbed and ward .red while returning home to Katltark, Co. Limerick. He was set upon by two tramp,, who, after rifting him of a large aunt of tuonoy. cnt his throat. No clue to the murder hai been obtained.