William Bentley

Death of Mr. and Mrs.

AFTER 53 years of married life. Mr.

William Bentlev and Mrs. Annie Bentley died within five days of other, in Fiii. early in September.

Both were nearly 90 years old. They had lived nearly all their lives in Fiji. Mr.

Bentley was a member of one of the best-known and most highly respected pioneer families.

The original Fiji Bentley was Henrv Bentley, who was born in England in IR3O. and who went to the Rewn and Pa districts of Fiji, in 1867, and began to grow cotton and sugar. He spent most of his life, however as a magistrate in the service of the Fiii Government, he died in Levuka in 1892, leaving six sons and four daughters.

One smi was the well-known Captain R. E. N. Bentlev, who was harbour master at Levuka: he married Miss Lavinia Hayes and died onlv a few vears ego. Another of his sons was Mr. Henry Bentley., who wac born in 1855. educated in Melbourne, and arrived with his father in Levuka in 1867.

Mr. Henry Bentley was associated with his father in planting enterprises and subseaueuth/ was a coffee planter. He became skilled in rnedical work however, and from about 1880 onwards he was m the service of the Fiii Government and the Colonial Sugar Refining Comnanv as manager 0 f various hosnitals. He fol lowed this profession until he went to live in retirement at I .ami. a few years ao-o. H’s surviving children are: Mr.

Ronald Bentlev. of Auckland, and Mrs.

Eastgate, of Suva.

Makea Nui Takau Ariki (Mrs. E. T. W.

Love) left Rarotonga for New Zealand in October to attend to the affairs of her late husband. Lieut.-Colonel Love, who was recently killed in action in Egypt.

Miss Elaine Margaret Hay, younger daughter of the late Mr. Frederick Hav (of the W. R. Carpenter staff, Rabaul) was married on October 7 to Corporal Jack Campbell. AIF, at Roseville, Sydney.

Lieutenant A. W. Lane was best man.