About Islands People

Mrs. Ada Kennedy, .wife of Mr. Charles Kennedy, of Nadi, Fiji, died on September 6, after a long period of indifferent health.

Born in Levuka 67 years ago, she was the eldest daughter of the late Mr. James Mackay, one of the early pioneers of the Fiji Islands.

Mr. J. H. Sutton, a well-known identity of Papua, died in Sydney early in Sep tember. Until a year ago he was head gaoler at the Badili prison situated near Koki, just outside Port Moresby. Pre viously he had served in various other capacities in the Papuan Public Service.

Mr. Sutton left a widow and one son.

Mr. Harold Gatty, who is the represen tative in New Zealand and Australia for Pan-American Airways, sailed from Syd ney for Auckland by the Monterey on September 17 to attend a conference on trans-Pacific and trans-Tasman air ser vices.

Mr. Christopher Falkner, of Tearouki Plantation in Bougainville, New Guinea, died on September 9 at Namanula Hos pital, Rabaul, after being taken in from his plantation in a low state of health by the S.S. Maiwara. He was an old and respected resident of the territory, having first gone to New Guinea to manage Vunakambi estate in 1920. Joining the Administration in 1921 as a pest inspec tor, he was later transferred to the Public Health Dept. For a time he was a Patrol Officer in the Bainings area, and after wards was Deputy District Officer at Buka Passage. Resigning from the ser vice in 1925, he returned to the land. Mr.

Falkner, who was only 42, had a fine war record, having been awarded the Military Medal and the Serbian Cross of Kar george.

Sister Gwen, of the Melanesian Mis sion’s Community of the Cross at Siota, British Solomon Islands, arrived in Eng land in August on furlough. She is now spending a brief holiday at Streatham, after several weeks with her mother at Westward Ho. Sister Gwen, who has been in Melanesia for seven years, will return to the Solomons before Christmas.

Mr. A. W. Ottawa, of the Riverstone Meat Co. Ltd., will leave Sydney for New Guinea by the Montoro on October 21.

This is his first visit to Melanesia, though he has handled the South Sea interests of the Riverstone Meat Co. for many years. He intends to make personal acquaintance with his firm’s Islands cus tomers. Mr. Ottawa will return to Sydney through the Solomon Islands on board the Malaita.

Mr. Harold Langley Hart, who laboured faithfully for the Melanesian Mission from 1910 to 1928, first at Raga (New Hebrides), then in charge of the Vureas School (Banks Group), with a spell as head at Norfolk Island, died recently from pneumonia, in Chipping Norton Hospital, England.

Mr. and Mrs. Albert R. W. Massey re turned to Australia from a honeymoon visit to Suva by the Aorangi on October 2. They were married in Sydney on Sep tember 9, the ancestors of both the bride and bridegroom being well-known in Fiji, Mr. Massey is a grandson of the late Captain Randell, of Fiji; and Mrs. Massey (nee Jean Cocks) is the elder daughter of the late Captain Robert Cocks, of Fiji, and Mrs. Cocks, of Glenbrook, N.S.W., and grand-daughter of the late David Wilkinson, of Suva.

Mr. F. I sen be rt, who has been a miner for some years in the Morobe district, arrived in Sydney from New Guinea with his wife by the Macdhui on September 24.

Mr. G. S. Buckley, who recently arrived in Australia from Scotland to do mission ary work in the New Hebrides under the John G. Baton Fund, was ordained to the Presbyterian ministry at the Deepdene Presbyterian Church, Victoria, on October 12. He will leave Sydney with his wife by the Morinda on October 29, and will be stationed at Wintua, South West Bay, on Malekula Island, among the Big Nambas tribes.

Mr. Gower Wilson, of Lord Howe Island, arrived in Sydney by the Morinda on Oc tober 6 to take delivery of his new 32ft. cruiser, which has been built at Palm Beach, N.S.W. Manned by Messrs. Gower Wilson, Alan Wilson, W. Goddard and W.

Hammill, the vessel will leave Sydney for Lord Howe Is. at the end of October.

Queen Salote, D.8.E., of Tonga, accom panied by her husband, Prince Tugi, de parted from Sydney for New Zealand, en route to Nukualofa, by the Awatea on September 25. Her Majesty left in much better health, and had benefited consider ably by her four months’ stay in Australia.

Mr. F. Penman, a Victorian research chemist, returned to Sydney from the Solomon Islands by the Malaita on Sep tember 11. He had been engaged for several months upon an investigation of soil values on Lever’s Pacific Plantations Pty. Ltd’s estates in the group.

Rev. L. Methsieder, of the Lutheran Mission station at Siassi, New Guinea, arrived in Sydney in September on fur lough. He was accompanied by his wife and they went on to South Australia where Mrs. Methsieder has entered the Lutheran Hospital.

Dr. Bernard Mishkin, of the U.S. Social Science Council, sailed from Sydney for New Guinea by the Macdhui on September 30 to carry out anthropological work. He will study the Wapi race in the moun tainous region near the Sepik River. Dr.

Mishkin proposes to take moving pictures in natural colours, and hopes to obtain a large collection of valuable specimens of native art, spears, axes, etc.

Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Symes, of Marara Plantation, Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands, sailed from Rabaul, New Guinea, by the W.R.C. vessel Rabaul at the end of September on the first stage of a world tour. Mr. Symes has invented various munitions devices and he will endeavour to exploit them overseas.

The engagement is announced of Miss Miriam Warren, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. Warren, of Pitcairn Island, to Mr. Mathew King, of Miramar, Welling ton. The marriage will take place after Easter, and the couple will reside in New Zealand.

Mp. F. Bepgmann, who has been in New Guinea as a missionary for the Neuendettelsau Mission Society, reached Adelaide, South Australia, early in October to obtain medical treatment. He was accompanied by his wife.

Miss Esther Williams, 8.A., Dip. Ed., of the Methodist Station at Lautoka, among the Fiji Indians, arrived in Mel bourne on October 6. She was hurriedly recalled to Australia because of the illness of Mr. W. J. Williams, of Korumburra, Victoria, her father, who died a week be fore she reached her home.

Miss J. N. Niau, authoress of the recently published book, “Phantom Para dise,” dealing with the ill-fated De Rays expedition in the Western Pacific, arrived in New Guinea in September by the m.v.

Rabaul. After visiting the outports, she will spend some time in the capital. Miss Niau is collecting material for another book.

Mr. H. M. Stuchbery, Government Vete rinary Officer in Fiji, and his family, left on leave by the Aorangi on September 24.

Sister Joseph, who has been connected for many years with the Roman Catholic convent at Savalalo, Western Samoa, died on September 9.

Mr. A. E. Ray, manager of Messrs.

Burns, Philp and Co. Ltd.’s store at Kavieng, arrived in Sydney from New Guinea by the Macdhui on September 24.

M. Gorjux, who has been appointed director of the health services in New Caledonia, will arrive in Noumea by the Ville d'Amiens on November 20.

Dr. Martha Koller, of the medical department of the Lutheran Mission at Finschhafen, New Guinea, arrived in Aus tralia recently by the Macdhui. She is at present spending leave in South Australia.