Personal.

Sir Apirana Ngata (New Zealand Mini ster in charge of the Cook Islands) was a visitor to Rarotonga during August.

Like his predecessor in office (the late Sir Maui Pomare, who was a physi cian), Sir Apirana is a highly educated Maori, and an able administrator. The fact that these men of the Polynesian race can efficiently and creditably fill important professional and administra tive positions is not recognised as widely as it should be by those who study Pacific problems. * * * Dr. D. Young, medical officer at the Gilbert and Ellice Island groups, arrived in Sydney on August 30 by the Maunganui. He is returning to duty after a holiday in London. * * * Sister Mary James, of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Kens ington, left recently for Yule Island, Papua. Sister James has already spent nearly 15 years in missionary work, mostly at Inawaia, on the Mekeo Plain, where the missionaries of the Sacred Heart have a station.

Mr. B. Calcutt, district officer at Rabaul, accompanied by Miss Calcutt, returned to New Guinea by the Mon toro on August 30. * * * Mr. Allan Innes, of the Salamaua Trading Company, arrived in Sydney by the August Montoro, and will re turn by the September Macdhui. Two tons of machinery will travel with him, to be subsequently erected at Wau, centre of the New Guinea Goldfields, as an up-to-date freezer. * * * Mr. Ion L. Idriess, well-known Aus tralian author, is at present engaged on a book which will tell the fascin ating story of the discovery and de velopment of the Morobe goldfield, in New Guinea. The “old hands” — “Sharkeye” Park, Royal, Levien, Mrs.

Booth, George Arnold, etc. —will appear garbed in the full trappings of romance. The book will be published early in 1933, and will be called “Gold Dust and Ashes.” * * Mr. H. L. Gill, who was well-known in the Rabaul and Kavieng Districts, died at Arncliffe, New South Wales, on September 3. He is survived by Mrs.

Gill, four daughters and three sons. Mr.

W. Gill, his eldest son, is Inspector for Messrs. Burns, Philp and Co. and was formerly chief inspector of the New Guinea Expropriation Board. Mr. C.

G. Chadderton, his son-in-law, owns Kapsu Plantation, and Mr. G. Chadder ton, another son-in-law, is a plantation overseer in the Bainings district. * * * Mr. J. C. Barley, First District Officer in the British Solomon Islands, has been appointed to act as Resident Com missioner, during the absence on leave of Mr. F. N. Ashley. * * * Mr. P. C. Hubbard, who has been act ing as British judge on the Joint Court of the New Hebrides, has been ap pointed Chief Magistrate and Legal Adviser in the Solomon Islands. * * * Mr. F. B. Filose, District Officer, has been appointed to Ysabel district, Solo mon Islands.

Major C. A. Swinbourne, O.B. E., First District Officer, has been appointed acting Resident Commissioner of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, dur ing the absence on leave of Mr. A. F.

Grimtale, C.M.G. * * * Mr. Ah Tam, a former resident of New Guinea, died in Hongkong, China, on August 14. Last year, he disposed of his business interests in New Guinea and, owing to ill-health, left the Terri tory. He was 74 years old and had spent over 40 years in New Guinea. He was very well-known and was held in high regard by the European com munity. * * * Mr. E. Kenton, at one time assistant manager of Burns, Philp’s Rabaul branch, and now with Lewis Berger & Sons, Ltd., paint and varnish manu facturers, leaves for Papua and New Guinea by the September “Macdhui” on a business trip. * * * Mr. Norman Ducker died at Manly, New South Wales, on August 7. He was formerly a resident of Papua, hav ing been connected with the Austral Papuan Investments, Ltd., which has plantation interests in the Mekeo dis trict. * * * Dr. F. E. Montague, of Labasa, Fiji, returned by the “Aorangi,” on August 26, after a holiday abroad. * * * Dr. S. M. Lambert, the head of the Western Pacific Health Service, left New Zealand during August for the Cook Islands, in connection with the latrine campaign in that Group. He hopes to complete arrangements for the thorough sanitation of the whole of the Group by December. * * * Dr. C. S. James. M. B., F.R.C.S., ac companied by his wife and their son Ivan, arrived in Rabaul, by the August “Macdhui,” to take charge of the Stewart Hospital at Vunairima, on the North Coast. Dr. James has had considerable experience in New Zealand and was also engaged in similar work for three years in the Solomon Islands. * * * Mr. lan Morley, formerly on the staff of New Guinea Goldfields, Ltd., has joined the Administration. He took up his duties as assistant warden on August 15. * * * Mr. and Mrs. Wright, Methodist Missionaries, left Sydney by the Niagara on September 15, for Fiji. Mr. Wright spent five years in charge of the Indian mission station at Ba, Fiji. * * * Mr. A. H. Gauld, late manager of Choisel Plantations, Ltd., in New Guinea, arrived at Port Moresby dur ing August. Mr. Gauld has been ap pointed plantations inspector for Messrs. Burns, Philp and Co. in that Territory. * * * Mr. N. N. Lyons, manager of the Mur ray Island Fisheries, Ltd. (Torres Straits), has recently returned to Thursday Island from a successful business trip to Java, where the Com pany expects to place the greater part of its output shortly. * * * Mr. R. C. Latcock, of Tulagi, British Solomon Islands, arrived in Sydney by the last “Mataram,” and will spend some time with his family, who are at present residing in Sydney.

Mr. Colin Marr, son of the Federal Minister for Health, returned to Syd ney by the September “Macdhui” after two years’ study of tropical agriculture in New Guinea. He is the holder of Hawkesbury Agricultural College diploma, and will next take an agri cultural course at Trinidad. * * * Mr, Jas. H. Baldie, who has acted as honorary secretary of the Pacific Is lands Association since its formation, has resigned the duties of that office, and the work is being carried on tem porarily by Mr. J. P. Fitzgerald. Mr.

Baldie, who is a member of the execu tive, explained to the committee that his interest in the organisation is as keen as ever, but the growing work of the secretaryship had encroached con siderably on the time he required for his own business; and, in addition, it was highly probable that he would leave Sydney in the near future, pos sibly at very short notice. He would endeavour to assist the Association in every possible way, whether in Sydney or elsewhere. The Committee thanked Mr. Baldie very warmly for the interest he has taken in the Association and the great amount of work he has put into it since he took up the duties of secretary over twelve months ago. * * * Lady Murray, wife of the Lieutenant- Governor of Papua, will sail for Eng land this month, travelling via San Francisco and New York.