Popular D.O. Leaves Gizo

Capt. A. Middenway

Farewelled

From a Special Correspondent.

GIZO, Sept. 20.

ON the evening of September 7 one of the largest gatherings of residents seen at Gizo, congregated at the house of Mr, Luttrell, manager of the local branch of Burns Philp and Co., to say farewell to Captain Arthur Midden way, District Officer, on the occasion of his retirement from the B.S.I. Public Service.

Capt. Middenway was presented with a handsome silver casket, suitably inscribed, as a memento of his long period of office as D.O., Gizo, a period which exceeded that of any of his predecessors. Eulo gistic references to his ability, public spirit and invariable courtesy as an ad ministrative officer, and the high esteem in which he was held by all sections of the community, were made by various speakers, among whom were Rev. J. F.

Goldie, Mr. D. Mackirinon, Mr. J. Sim, Capt. Musgrave, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Bury, and Mr. Luttrell.

Following the speeches and presenta tion, dancing and singing provided en joyable entertainment until nearly dawn when the M.V. Malaita arrived from Rabaul. Capt. Middenway embarked for Sydney a few hours later, amid many evi dences of goodwill and friendship on the part of European and native residents of the district.

Capt. Middenway, who is a son of the late Mr. J. S. Middenway, of Vaucluse, N.S.W., was at one time in the service of the C S.R., Fiji, subsequently he entered the Fiji Civil Service in which he remain ed until the outbreak of war when he left for England. Enlisting in a cavalry regi ment, he was later transferred to the Monmouthshire Regiment with which he saw service in France. Afterwards he fought with troops in Mesopotamia at taining the rank of Captain.

On being demobilized, Capt. Midden way returned to his post in Fiji, and, in 1921, was appointed Government Secre tary of the British Solomon Islands Pro tectorate. Thereafter he was posted in various districts as administrative officer and magistrate, the last of these being Gizo from which he retired recently on attaining the age limit prescribed by the Colonial Office.

Mrs. Middenway preceded her husband to Australia some time ago, in order to establish their son Pat at Wesley Col lege, Melbourne, but it is now their inten tion to take up residence in Sydney.

Capt. Middenway’s successor as D.O., Gizo, is Mr. C. E. J. Wilson, who held a similar post in Guadalcanal district, Eas tern Solomons.