Papua Honours Memory of late F

late F. J Berge.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Pt. Moresby, Feb. 20.

AT St. John’s Church, Port Moresby, on January 13, in the presence of a large gathering of residents, his Excellency the Hon. H. W. Champion, acting Lieut-Governor of Papua, un veiled a memorial in honour of the memory of Frederick James Berge, for mer Resident Magistrate of the Terri tory, and for some time Lieutenant 25th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, who was drowned with his four children on June 11, 1930, in the foundering of the “Vaiveri,” off the south coast of Papua.

After a short service conducted by the Rector the Rev. H. Mathews, His Excellency, in committing the tablet to the keeping of the church, spoke of the esteem in which Mr. Berge had been held by his fellow officers and friends in the Territory, and how he had en deared himself by his unfailing cour tesy and abounding good humour to them all.

This tablet, which he was unveiling, he said, was erected to his memory by the officers of the Public Service —an expression of fine feeling, loyalty, and esteem.

“Freddie” Berge entered the Public Service in 1912, and was amongst the first to enlist at the outbreak of War.

He saw service at Gallipoli and in France, and returned to Papua in 1919, resuming his duties in the Magisterial service. He rose to the position of Re sident Magistrate and it was while he was being transferred to the Kerema Government station—as Magistrate of the Gulf Division —with his wife and family, that he met his untimely death.

The memorial is an impressive tablet of white marble, with inscriptions, and it has been placed on the wall of the church building.