About Islands People

Mr. F. C. Clapcott, who is return ing to Fiji after a short visit to Sydney, is the oldest settler in the Ba District, Fiji. He joined the service of the Colon ial Sugar Refining Co., in 1894, at Nau sori, and transferred to Ba in the same year. After considerable service with the Company, he purchased Yala Levu Estate. Mr. Clapcott represented the Ba District, as the elected member of the Legislative Council, for six years, and he has also been closely associated with every public and sporting movement in the District for the past 45 years. In re tirement, he spends the hotter period of the year in New Zealand and Australia.

Mr. H. H. Hickling- has been appointed Resident Agent at Mangaia, in the Cook Group. He is a New Zealand teacher who for the past seven years has been on loan to the Government of Fiji. After going to Fiji, he was for some time as sistant master at Victoria College, near Suva, and then was successively head master of the schools at Lau and Lon don!.

Monsieur Harelle, formerly well-known in New Caledonia as a Captain in the Police Force, head of the Department of Native Affairs, and Chief Inspector of Public Works, has been appointed Dir ector at Port Vila of the Societe Fran caise des Nouvelles Hebrides, in place of Monsieur Vibert. He is expected to arrive in New Hebrides from France by the next “Eridan”.

Mr. Edward James Cairn, who in 1881-2 made two collecting trips to the Huon Gulf and Astrolabe Ranges in New Guinea for British and Australian museums, died recently in Sydney, aged 85.

Rev. Hu P. K. and Mrs. Gordon, of Mel bourne, are undergoing training at the George Brown Missionary College, Haber field, N.S.W.. prior to departing for Papua to serve with the Methodist Mis sion.

Mr. V. A. Pratt, of Tobera Plantation, New Britain, T.N.G., arrived in Sydney from the Mandated Territory on March 23 by the “Tanda” on a short business trip.

Dr. D. C. MacPherson, of Suva, Fiji, re turned to the Colony by the “Aorangi” on March 30 after a lengthy visit to Europe.

Mr. T. Cooper, of New Britain Timbers, Ltd., New Guinea, arrived in Australia by the March “Tanda”.

Dr. Phyllis Kaberry, a young Aus tralian anthropologist, who returned from England recently, left Sydney in April for New Guinea to live for a year in the midst of an unstudied tribe of natives. She will study their culture under the terms of a fellowship granted by the Australian Research Council. She is going to West New Guinea, north of the Sepik River. Her first stop will be Wewak, whence she will travel by cargo plane to the Government station at Map rik.

Rev. C. Doley, who for some years was engaged in missionary activities in Fiji for the Methodist Mission, has been ap pointed Secretary for Overseas Missions in Western Australia.

Miss S. D. Fitzherbert, Matron at the Girls’ Grammar School Hostel, Suva, re turned to Fiji by the “Aorangi” on March 30, after a holiday in America.

Mr. C. Bates, of the District Services staff of the N.G. Administration, re turned to Rabaul by the March “Tanda”, after a holiday in the East.

Captain and Mrs. Roberts, of New Brit ain Timbers, Ltd., arrived in Australia from Rabaul, N.G., in March by the “Tanda”.

Rev. Mother Marie Alexis, who spent 37 years in New Hebrides, mostly at the French Hospital in Vila, recently left the Condominium en route to France.