An Authority On

Polynesia

Death of Stephen Savage, Veteren Cook Is. Official

117TTH nearly half a century of public service behind him, Mr. Stephen Savage, Registrar and Interpreter of + 6 Native Land Court, died at Raro- July 25. He was 68 years’ old.

A New Zealander, Mr. Savage went to the C s°t°aff Henry SMt Later he was’employed ® y Torea newspaper and, then, by *tS rival “loi Karenga”. He became Government Secretary to the old Federal “W ai 2f iexeci by NZ in 1901, retained tnis °mce Until 1909, then being ap pointed Deputy Registrar of Courts and Deeds. He was made Registrar in 1919 ?f X t^ a H S i e h te c r o?r e t beCame Commissioner ic , , . During the past 15 years he held a variety of posts in the Administration— ranging from Government Printer to Resident Agent at several outlying is correspondent, a few years ago, wrote of him: Mr. Savage is one of those men who are like the wheels of a clock: they do the work without being seen. Indeed, there have |3 een times when it was very doubtful

whether the hands would have gone round at all without his unobtrusive and efficient assistance”. i. Brought into close contact with native me by his official positions, Mr. Savage was an enthusiastic student of matters Polynesian. He was regarded as the lead ing authority on Cook Islands native lore, history and dialects. Only recently, he completed the first dictionary of the Cl language, after years of painstaking work. Articles from his pen have ap-

peared regularly in a number of NZ scientific journals.

“Teveni”, as the Cook Islanders called him, was an accomplished violin-maker and an excellent entertainer. Just a few weeks before his death he organised and directed a markedly successful concert in Rarotonga to raise War Funds. One of the most popular items of the show was a tap-dance by Mr. Savage—and he was nearly 70 years’ old!

Mr. Savage was twice married and left 11 children.

“One Of Polynesia’S Most

Faithful Historians”

From Our Own Correspondent RAROTONGA, August 10.

THE death of Stephen Savage—the result of an illness arising out of mild food poisoning will be mourned by many Islands people, for he was widely known in the South-east Pacific as a linguist and authority on Polynesian history.

Half NZ Maori himself, he took an intense interest in Cook Islands legend and culture, and his dictionary, recently taken up by the British Museum, was the result of many years’ patient search and inquiry in its inexhaustible detail and erudition. He was a highly hon oured member of the NZ Polynesian Society and knew intimately Bishop Williams, Dr. Buck and many other scientists who visited the Cook Islands.

So passes yet another old-timer who knew the happy, carefree days of Islands life in times gone by. The name of Stephen Savage will not die: he will take his place as one of Polynesia’s most faithful historians.

Rev. H. Robinson, formerly of the Methodist Mission, North-west Fergusson Island, Papua, has enlisted in the AIF.

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Savage, with the Chief of Atiu Island—a photograph taken a few years ago, when Mr. Savage was leaving Atiu after a term as Resident Agent.