Mr. D’Alpuget

Death of Islands Identity

Heroism During ’Flu

Epidemic

MR. J. A. G. d’Alpuget, whose death occurred in Sydney this month, at the age of 78 years, was a very well-known islands identity. For the past 50 years he had been travelling around the various Pacific groups. He had had many interesting experiences and made many lasting friendships.

Mr. d’Alpuget, affectionally known to his intimate circle as “Da'" came to Australia, from France, about 53 years ago, and after a few months in Mel bourne, Wodonga and Albury, he settled in Sydney.

A short while later he set out on South Sea Islands trading. His first journeys were to New Caledonia, Tahiti and the New Hebrides. In the lastnamed group he nearly "dug in" as a planter, but consideration for the health of a young family decided against his ambition to grow coconuts in malaria-infested islands.

He took up the Islands run of Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and New Caledonia for Paterson, Laing and Bruce, when the

firm was known as Lark Sons and Co., and, at the same time, did consistently good business for Holdsworth Mac pherson, Wunderlich, Westphal and Clark (Wines) and Brunton (Flour).

In the early days of his visits to Sa moa, he knew Robert Louis Stevenson, and was the proud possessor of vol umes of French poems given to him by R.L.S. who was a great student of the French classics and who loved to con verse in French. “Dal’s” library still holds the books enhanced with the R.L.S. modest book-plate—his visiting card. One is a rare edition of Fon taine’s fables, illustrated with steel plates.

“Dal” was a friend of the old Samoan chief, Mataafa, who opposed the united powers England, Germany and America —during the Samoan war of the nineties. He had a warm appreci ation of the proud old native, who settled down to the dictum of the Powers, which gave most of Samoa to Germany and the rest to America, and made young Tamasese the big chief, while the proud old chief’s heart was given only to England—if he must have foreign rule—and his pride of tribe was bruised at the young chief being given ascendancy.

“Dal,” however, contended that it was Mataafa’s religion that made him so honourably submissive, because he was a most exemplary Catholic. Ma taafa presented “Dal” with a handsome Malacca cane sent to him by the Em peror of Germany.

Fighting The ’Flu In Tonga.

When pneumonic influenza scourged the world, Mr. d’Alpuget was in Nuku alofa, Tonga. The Medical Officer of the Tonga group became alarmed at the news of the ravages of the plague and set out for Fiji to replenish his medical stores. Alas! the vessel that took him away left the plague in Tonga.

The first case developed three days after the steamer departed. “Dal” took charge of the depleted medical stocks and dispensed, while Mr. McGowan, the then British Consul, motored out into the villages to seek outbreaks among the natives. On these excur sions he was often accompanied by “Dal,” and was reinforced by buckets of thick hot soup. Often they ren dered first aid to the sick, buried the dead and brought in little orphans to the missions.

The head Marist Sister of the Roman Catholic Mission supplemented the scanty supply of medicines from po tions brewed from her herb garden.

Every native came to the dispensary daily to receive a tonic, and “Dal” often laughingly said it was not the tonic but the moral effect of it that did them good. Tonga was shut off from the world for six weeks during that troublous time, without any med ical aid except that of the little French

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Mr. J. A. G. d’Alpuget.

nun herbalist, yet the mortality rate was infinitesimal in comparison to Samoa, with its N.Z. Army of Occu pation.

The Queen of Tonga wrote “Dal” a personal letter of thanks, endorsed with the Royal seal, for his services during that trying time.

Mr. d’Alpuget made his last trip to the Islands in March of this year, but an attack of bronchitis brought him back to Sydney late in April, without completing his usual round. Although never really well since then, he did the round of his business houses up to the week he died.

In youth, he went in for a gocd deal of sport and was a crack shot. He was also a strong swimmer. Among the many who attended his funeral was Mr. Leon Cohen, a Sydney soli citor, whom he rescued from drowning when he was a small boy.

Although a good Australian, who brought up his family to be Australian citizens, “Dal” was never naturalised.

His pride of race was too strong to allow him to give up his nationality He was the oldest member of the French community in Sydney, and al ways generously assisted all French projects, as well as every other charity.

He was a great earner, but a better spender, and he gave so generously that he died comparatively a poor man, except in friendship.