Sir Hubert Murray’s

Funeral Impressive Ceremonies Mark End of Great Administrator

From Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, March 4.

WHEN the Lieutenant-Governor, Sir Hubert Murray, died in Samarai early in the evening of February 27 (see article elsewhere), a difficulty im mediately arose, because Samarai is a long way from Port Moresby, and it was the wish of everyone concerned that His Excellency should be buried in Port Moresby among the people who had been his friends and neighbours for nearly 40 years, and at the centre of the Territory which he had served so well.

The problem was solved when an R.A.A.F. flying-boat was placed at the disposal of the Government; and it was arranged that the flying-boat should depart for Samarai early on the morning of the 28th, and should pick up the coffin there and fly back to Port Moresby in time to permit the burial to take place on the afternoon of the 28th.

This was done. The Hon. Leonard Murray, and the Hon. G. E. Aumuller, M.L.C., of Samarai, accompanied the remains of the Governor on the flight from Samarai to Port Moresby.

This day, the 28th, was a day of mourning in Samarai. All business places closed, and all the Samarai people assembled to pay their last respects to the late Governor, as the casket was borne through their beautiful little town, to the waiting flying-boat. It was an unforgettable moment as the machine rose from the sparkling waters and carried the casket away into the western sky, over the blue hills that Sir Hubert loved so well.

In Port Moresby, all business places had closed, and all European residents of the town, and from plantations from scores of miles around, gathered at the waterfront and quietly and sadly awaited the arrival of the flying boat. Thous ands of mourning natives from the nearby villages also assembled.

The Port Moresby section of the Royal Armed Native Constabulary, and detachments from the garrison lined the waterfront and stood to attention.

It was a remarkable and impressive sight.

The people, warned by radio, stood waiting for the appearance of a vessel out of the sky; and, in due course, a great modern aeroplane came sweeping over the town and alighted on the quiet waters of the Port. In such fitting man ner did Papua’s greatest man make his last journey.

Forty years before, when he first saw Port Moresby, transport conditions be longed to the Stone Age; Port Moresby was a collection of less than a dozen little buildings; and such things as radio and aeroplanes were scarcely dreamed of.

The arrival of the aeroplane was a good deal later than expected, so the church service that had been arranged was abandoned and, as soon as the cas ket was brought ashore, the funeral procession formed up and moved off to the cemetery.

Wrapped in a Union Jack, the casket was brought from the flying boat to the Customs jetty in a naval pinnace, and native police carried it to an Air Force trailer, by which it was conveyed to the grave-side.

The procession passed through the township on foot. Choir boys preceded the casket; then came about 100 mem bers of the Royal Native Constabulary, representatives of the naval, military and air forces stationed in Port Moresby, members of the Legislative Council; members of the Public Service; and a very large section of the European com munity. At the head of the proces sion walked Lohia, who was Sir Hubert Murray’s personal attendant for many years and who, at the graveside, repre sented the thousands of natives who mourned the loss of their Governor.

Large numbers of Papuan natives gath ered at the cemetery; while nearby, in khaki uniforms and carrying wreaths which had been made with meticulous care, stood the members of the Native Village Council of Hanuabada. The Hon. H. L. Murray, as the nephew of the dead Governor, and the Hon. H. W.

Champion, as acting-Lieutenant Gover nor, had a prominent place in the pro cession.

Rev. Father McEncroe, M.S.C., assisted by Very Rev. Father A. Sorin, Vicar General (representing His Lordship Bishop de Boismenu), Rev. Father Lang, M.S.C., and Rev. Father Pinget, M.S.C., conducted the burial service. The fol lowing attended as representatives: Lt.- Commander R. B. A. Hunt, R.A.N., re presenting the Royal Australian Navy; Lt.-Commander T. Nixon, Naval Staff Office; Major K. Chalmers, Australian Military Forces; Flight-Lieutenant P. G.

Graham, Royal Australian Air Force; Hon. G. E. Aumuller, representing the citizens of Samarai; Lieutenant F. T.

Roberts, R.A.N., representing the Ter ritory of New Guinea Administration; and Mr. C. M. Cox, representing Sir Alfred Davidson.

On the following morning, at 8.30, a Solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church, which was attended by nearly every member of the community. Mass was sung by Rev. Father Lang, Very Rev. Father Sorin being the organist. Hon. A. Jewell, at the close of the ceremony, paid a tribute to Sir Hubert Murray, in a moving address. The service was relayed by wireless to radio station 2SM Syd ney, and broadcast from that station and its associated stations throughout Australia.

Thousands of telegrams, from all over the world, conveyed sympathy to the Papuan Administration and the people of Papua.

Mr. H. C. Monckton, Adviser on Native Affairs to the Government of Fiji, is retiring shortly, after nearly 40 years in the service of that Administration. He has been a member of the Legislative Council for the last ten years. The Governor of Fiji, at the last Legislative Council, warmly praised the service which Mr. Monckton had given to the Colony and said that his happy manner and his deep interest in the welfare of the people—especially the Fijian people, with whom he had been closely asso ciated—had endeared him to all classes.

He carried with him into his well-earned retirement the hearty good wishes of everyone—and especially of his col leagues of the Legislative Council.