Luckner Retires

Man Who Captured Von

COMPLETING 15 years’ service with the Auckland City Council, NZ, last month, Mr. H. C. Hills retired at the age of 58. He is the man who captured Count Felix von Luckner, in Fiji, during the last war.

Hills, an Englishman, went to New Zealand in 1912, after jamming into 29 years an adventurous life as a surveyor in Canada, apprentice on the full-rigged ship “McCallum Moore”, and mounted police officer in South Africa. He saw 1913 as a trader on Niue Island, in Central Pacific, then went to Fiji as a sub-inspector of constabulary.

In 1917, he was stationed at Levuka, when a Euronesian skipper arrived from Wakaya Island and reported that a strange launch was at the island. When he was told how the strangers spoke English in a peculiar way, Hills decided to go and investigate.

From Suva he obtained permission to use the “Amra”, a local cattle-boat and, accompanied by five Fijian policemen, set out for Wakaya. He took with him an empty service revolver.

Arriving at the island, they saw the launch getting under way. Mr. Hills blocked the entrance to the reef with the “Amra”, and put off in a boat to intercept the stranger. As he ran alongside, he heard the men speaking quickly in what he recognised to be German. With his hand on his holster, containing an empty gun, he ordered the sailors to surrender.

One, who stepped forward first, said he was Count von Luckner and that he had been in command of the German raider “See Adler”, which had been wrecked in the Society Islands, Eastern Pacific. They had sailed westward in their small armed launch “Cecile”, intending to capture a

vessel to use as a raider in place of the See Adler”.

Von Luckner was beside himself with rage when he learned that he had been captured by an unarmed Britisher and a handful of native police, audacious enough to seek him in a small cattle-boat!

However, the Germans were taken to Suva, whence they were interned in NZ For his exploit, Mr. Hills received Lloyd s Silver Medal and was presented with a £lOO cheque. He remained in Fiji for a couple of years, then went to sea as second mate in the service of the P. and O. Line. Eventually, he returned to NZ and joined the Auckland Council staff.

Mrs. Amy Donaldson, wife of Mr. John Donaldson, of the CSR Co., Ra, Fiji, died last month.

Daylight- Saving in Fiji

CLOCKS in Fiji were advanced one hour as from January 1, in accord ance with the decision of the Legislative Council in December to intro duce daylight saving in the Colony. This S g P in to line with Australia, New Zealand and Western Samoa It is a peculiar fact, however, that Aus tralia s Pacific territories of Papua and New Guinea did not adopt the idea— they were adhering to Australian East ern Standard Time (10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time), when the Japs arrived, in January. p Mr : f’X arrar ’ of Labasa, Fiji, recently married Miss Pat. Witherow, of Rewa.