Graduation Ceremony Held in December

YEAR by year, the fame grows of the Suva Medical School, where young men, carefully selected from among the native races of Fiji. Samoa, Tonga. Cook Islands, Solomons, New Hebrides, Gilbert and Ellice and Guam, are trained as Native Medical Practitioners. The repu tation of the school is due to the skill, the good conduct and the high standard of ethics of the increasing number of young men in the field, as well as to the careful tuition and fine understanding of the men who conduct the institution in Fiji.

On December 11, an annual graduation ceremony was inaugurated, and the fol lowing seven students received their diplomas at the hands of the Governor of Fiji (Sir Harry Luke): — James Rennie, Cook Islands.

Samuela Taumoebeau, Tonga.

Eveni Afele Levi, Eastern Samoa.

Sale Iremia, Western Samoa.

Amosa Sio, Western Samoa.

Mitieli R. Moliduadua, Fiji.

His Excellency delivered a striking ad dress to the students, in which he prais ed the graduates, thanked the medical and dental practitioners of Fiji for their generous help to the school, and men tioned the assistance that had been re ceived from the Rockefeller Foundation.

“I spoke just now of the school being a success”, said the Governor. “I say more. I say that it is one of the most beneficent gifts which British rule has conferred upon the native races of the Pacific “The school at present comprises 40 students and post-graduates, and in this number are included not only 13 Fijians, one Indian and one Rotuman from this Colony, but students from three Tern tories with which I am concerned as High Commissioner (the Kingdom of Tonga, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands and the Solomon Islands) from two. Territor ies under New Zealand’s administration (Western Samoa and the Cook Islands), from the Australian Mandated Territory of Nauru and, I am happy, to add, from American Samoa. There is no student in the school at the moment from tne

New Hebrides, but there soon will be, and I was pleased to see during my recent visit to the Condominium two former members of the school, one a Fijian, and the other a native of the New Hebrides doing credit to the school by their work there. So you see how far afield are car ried the benefits of this institution”.

The Prize List

The following prizes were awarded:— Junior School Chemistry: David Ganga Ram (Indian, Fiji), 93 per cent.; Fakavaiga Taumoe beau (Tonga), 93 per cent.

Physics: Taione Siwivou (Fiji), 89 per cent.

Biology: Manae Tamarua (Cook Is.), 87 per cent.

Anatomy: David Ganga Ram (Indian, Fiji), 92.5 per cent.

Special Senses: Jale W. Masi (Fiji), 93 per cent.

Physiology: Ngoeikura Tou (Cook Is.), 93.5 per cent.

Third Year Materia Medica: Aseri K. Manulevu (Fiji), 95 per cent.

Bacteriology: Ropati B. Cula (Fiji), 95 per cent.

Anaesthetics: Siaosi Tuioti (Western Samoa), 91 per cent.

Surgery: Siaosi Tuioti (Western Sa moa), 76.3 per cent.

Medicine: Uliami F. Tufui (Tonga), 74.3 per cent.

Fourth Year Obstetrics: James Rennie (Cook Is.), 79.75 per cent. , m Diseases of Children: Samuela Tau moebeau (Tonga), 83.75 per cent Public Health: Eveni Levi (Eastern Samoa), 85.3 per cent.

Surgery: James Rennie (Cook Is.), 74.1 Aisake Niu (Fiji), 73.6 per Medicine; Sale leremia (West ern Samoa), 78 per cent.: Amosa Sio, (Western Samoa), 78 per cent.

Gold Medal Awards Sir Henry Scott’s medal in Anatomy

was not awarded this year, as there was no qualifying examination in Anatomy.

Mr. Alport Barker’s medal in Medicine: Aisake Niumataiwalu (Fiji).

Sir Maynard Hedstrom’s medal for Public Health: Eveni Levi (American Samoa).

British Medical Association, for Sur gery: James Rennie (Cook Is.).

Pearce’s medal for Obstetrics and Child Welfare; Samiuela Taumoebeau (Ton ga) and James Rennie (Cook 15.).. lelu Kuresa Memorial Medal: Aisake (Fiji).

V 4iP Special Prizes .The" Governor’s ..prize for Practical Medicine and SurgCTy: Aisake Niumatai w?rlu (Fiji). '• Pacific Island Club’s prize: James Ren nie (Cook Is.).

Cilento Medal,

Sir Raphael Cilento’s Medal, awarded each year fix the scientist or institution considered to have done the best prac tical work in tropical hygiene, and which had been awarded the previous year to the Suva Medical School and the Native Medical Practioner Service, was formally handed over to the school.

P.I. Club Prizewinner

James Rennie, of Ngatangiia, Raro tonga, Cook Islands, won the special prize provided by the Pacific Islands Club, of Sydney, for the outstanding stu dent at the Suva Medical School. He is the third reci pient of this award, which is a medical work selected by the Principal. Mr.

Rennie also received additional prizes, as described above. He was born in 1916, educated at the Takitumu school, Rarotonga, and at the famous Te Aute College (New Zealand), where he was a prefect and member of the First Rugby XV. 5 *

James Rennie.