Tongan Trader's Death
p. 21 · Read in the full issue
In Fiji.
Prom Our Own Correspondent.
Suva, Feb. 5.
A PIONEER trader of Haapai, Tonga, Mr. Gerald Batty, died in Suva Colonial War Memorial Hospital on January 24. He was on his way to Auckland, New Zealand, on board the “Matua” when he took ill a few days before the vessel reached here on her last trip. Taken to hospital, he lapsed into unconsciousness and died five days later.
An Englishman, he had been in Tonga for many years as partner in the trading firm of Batty and Wall. The partner ship was well-known in Central Pacific until it was dissolved several years ago.
Mr. Batty was over 60 years of age.
Though there are few folk left in Suva who knew Mr. Batty, his funeral, presided over by the Bishop of Polynesia (Rt. Rev. Kempthorne) was attended by a number of business men, including Mr. W. E. Hancock and Mr.
Parry (Union S.S. Co.), Mr. J. Trotter (Burns Philp S.S. Co.), and Mr. Malcolm Brodie (Pacific Biscuits, Ltd.).