Death Of Mr. C. E. Hill,

Of N. Hebrides

A WELL-KNOWN New Hebrides planter, Mr. Chris. E. Hill, of Emae Island, died in hospital early in May.

He and his wife settled in the New Heb rides about 25 years ago, and, in a life time of hard work, they built up a fine plantation property. In February, 1940, when they were spending a long-awaited holiday in Australia, one of the worst hurricanes ever known struck their part of the New Hebrides and almost com pletely destroyed their plantation home.

A few months later (July, 1940), in a let ter which was published in the “PIM,”

Mr. Hill described what he found on his return, and how he was applying him self to the heartbreaking task of re building and re-planting. “I am not as young as I was when we established this plantation and rebuilt after the hurri cane of 1932,” he wrote. “I sometimes feel that I am not capable of going on with this task.” Now he is dead. He was a good, kindly man—one of the best types of British pioneers, found all over the world.

Corporal W. F. Cullen, of Thursday Island, and Private F. C. Mayo, believed to have been a resident of New Guinea, formerly reported missing, are now reported to be prisoners of war.

Mr. F. W. Burke, formerly of Papua and more recently engaged in an air craft factory in Victoria, is now in the AIF with the rank of sergeant.