Today in History
Joseph O’Neil, assistant storeman of Raiwai died at CWM Hospital on June 14. Police released him from custody two days before his death.
Tuesday, November 1, 1966 Five in Hospital after Bus Crash
THE driver and four passengers were in hospital yesterday after a bus carrying 39 Fijian labourers swerved and collided with a tree on the Queen’s Rd at Lomaloma. Eight other passengers who suffered minor injuries were treated but not detained. A spokesman at the Lautoka Hospital said that all those admitted were in a satisfactory condition.
Monday, November 1, 1971 Police detainee’s death ‘natural’
A Suva man alleged to have been assaulted by police officers died from natural causes according to the findings at a death inquest. Joseph O’Neil, assistant storeman of Raiwai died at CWM Hospital on June 14. Police released him from custody two days before his death. Afterwards, the dead man’s brother Albert O’Neil accused police of his brother’s death. The inquest’s presiding magistrate, V H Vivian, said in his findings that the cause of death was cerebral haemorrhage resulting from the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain.
Thursday, November 1, 1979 A man tried to time-bomb Sirdar’s cane
A Lautoka cane-cutter who tried to set fire to a crop of cane using matchsticks stuck inside a lighted cigarette was fined $100 and given a suspended gaol sentence. Ram Prasad 37 of Viseisei admitted in Lautoka Court that he had tried to set fire to a crop belonging to the cane gang Sirdar for whom he worked. Passing sentence the Magistrate, Abbas Koya said that because of the prevalence of cane fires at this time of harvesting he would have gaoled Prasad if his attempt has been successful.
Saturday, November 1, 1997 Reddy predicts better future FIJI has undergone a lot of changes since the two military coups in 1987 and Indo-Fijians can once again be assured of better things ahead, said Opposition Leader, Jai Ram Reddy. Mr Reddy said Cabinet accepting the new Constitution was a testimony that all leaders in Fiji wanted peace to be restored. He said the only way forward for Fiji was unity.