Death Of Mrs. M. A. Dette

Mrs. M. A. Dette died in the Yass Hos pital, NSW, on February 10. She had been in poor health for some time. Mrs.

Dette is another of Papua’s pioneers who has passed on. She first went to Port Moresby at the end of 1913 and remained there practically continuously up to De cember, 1941, when she was compulsorily evacuated, with all other women. She ran the Hotel Moresby for many years and, later, assisted her brother in the management of the Papua Hotel, up to 1928, when he sold out. She was well and favourably known to all the old-timers, especially the miners, and with her brother, Mr. T. D. Ryan, brought to Port Moresby its first amenities in the way of an ice works, freezing plant, picture show, motor car and lorry transport and electric lighting for the two hotels. Her daughter married Mr. Gerald Smith, who is now proprietor of the Club House Hotel, at Yass, NSW.

Mr. Munsami Mudaliar, ex-Indian member of the Fiji Legislative Council, died in the Suva Memorial Hospital after a short illness, on December 23 imme diately following his attendance at the Indian Labour Conference, where the Government’s plans for forming an Indian Corps were discussed. He went to the Colony in 1913 and for many years took a prominent part in the activities of the Indian community. He was elected to the Legislative Council in 1932 and was the first Indian to be made a Justice of the Peace. He will be greatly missed in the Colony.