About Islands People

Mr. J. Walker, who has completed his term of service with the Samoan Admin istration. departed from Apia for N.Z. by the December “Maui Pomare”.

Mr. H. E. Ellis, who was in Fiji for about 15 years, ten of which were spent in the service in the Health Depart ment. died in Sydney in November, aged 43.

Mr. T. O’Dea, assistant manager of Guinea Airways Ltd.. Lae. New Guinea, reached Sydney by the “Macdhui” early in December.

Messrs. Loste and Andre Ballande, sons of the late Monsieur Louis Bal lande, well-known in the French Pacific Islands, arrived at Noumea by the No vember “Pierre Loti” from Sydney to supervise the large stores of Etablisse ments Ballande in New Caledonia.

Mr. K, Hufnagel-Betham, who has spent many years in Western Samoa, chiefly in the Lands and Survey De partment, has left the Territory. With his young daughter, Touselle, he sailed from Apia by the “Maui Pomare” on De cember 1 to join his wife and family in New Zealand.

Mr. Tom Pickering, wireless officer at Rarotonga. Cook Islands, died in Avarua Hospital on November 3, at the age of 29. He had contracted pneumonia when a scratch on his face developed into sep ticaemia, and the combination of these two proved fatal. Mr. Pickering, who left a widow and two children, was very popular both with Europeans and na tives.

Dr. J. S. Cramer, of Sigatoka, Fiji, arrived in Auckland, N.Z.. by the “Mari posa” at the end of November, on a health trip.

Mr. Eugene O’Driscoll, an associate member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, has joined the staff of Papuan Apinaipi Co. He de parted from Sydney for Pt. Moresby by the “Bulolo” on November 19.

Madame Maurice Gane, who recently arrived in the New Hebrides from France, died at Santo on November 14.

Mr. C. Lament, assistant master at the Suva Boys’ Grammar School, arrived in New Zealand from Fiji at the end of November. He has been in ill-health during recent months.

Rev. W. Bruce Gentle, B.A. (Syd. and Oxon.). of New South Wales, has been accepted by the Methodist Mission for service in Tonga.

Mr. W. Wiggle, of Messrs. Morris, Hedstrom Ltd., Apia, reached New Zea land from Samoa by the last “Matua”.

Miss M. M. Cleary, formerly Fijian Infant Welfare Nurse at Tailevu, Fiji, is at present in the United States where she will spend a year studying under a Rockefeller Foundation scholarship.

Rev. F. G. Lewis, of the Methodist Mission, Rabaul, New Guinea, arrived in Sydney with Mrs. Lewis by the “Macd hui” early in December to take up new duties in Australia.

Madame Lionel Laine (nee Helene Fanny Cheval), who was well-known in New Caledonia, died on November 4, at the age of 75.

Mr. William Tailby, Treasurer and Collector of Customs in the Cook Is lands, has been transferred to Welling ton, New Zealand. During his 15 years in the Group, he won the esteem and respect of all classes, and before leaving Rarotonga with his wife was tendered a number of farewell functions.

Doctor W. Dickie, a well-known sur geon in the north of England, left Sydney by the “Malaita” on Nov ember 26 for Pawa, Ugi, B.S.I., to pay a visit to the Melanesian Mission station, where his son, Rev. W. A.

Dickie, is engaged in mission work.

Mrs. M. Sanders was a passenger by the November “Malaita” for Mar ovo, Solomon Is lands, after a short holiday in Sydney.

Mr. Sanders is an employee of Burns, Philp and Co., Ltd., at Marovo Lagoon.

Rev. H. Lawrence, who recently joined the staff of the Melanesian Mis sion, sailed from Sydney by the “Malaita” on Nov ember 26 for the Solomon Islands, where he will take up duties at Pawa mission station.