Dr. H. W. Jack

Outline of His Career

of Agriculture of Fiji

since 1934, Dr. H. W. Jack has left the Colony on leave preparatory to retirement. The following bio graphical notes have been taken from the Fiji “Agricultural Journal” for

September:

Dr. Jack was appointed as Director in Fiji, after 20 years’ service in the Malayan Department of Agriculture. He has thus completel nearly 10 years’ service in Fiji, and a total of 30 years In the Colonial service.

He had wide interests in the agricul tural field but his Malayan experience led him to take an especial interest in the copra industry, and made great efforts to improve the quality of Fiji copra and to secure for it a higher rating in the world’s markets. He was ever ready to give personal assistance to planters and during the difficult war period especially', did not spare himself in efforts to secure the necessary materials and other facili ties required in connection with the industry.

During his term of office Fijian agri cultural production was given great encouragement, and Dr. Jack took a close personal interest in those Fijians who were seeking to set themselves up as peasant farmers, more particularly were they encouraged to keep livestock— a branch of farming which is generally neglected by them.

The war intervened at a time when many of the late Director’s schemes of development could have been expected to show results, but he threw himself into war work with characteristic enererv and, as Controller of Production and Market ing, was immediately resnonsible for the stimulation of local production to meet wartime demands.

In 1941 His Majesty honoured Dr. Jack by- appointing him an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

Despite his manifold official duties, Dr. Jack was at various times a member of the Board of Trustees of the Fiji Museum, Chairman of the Fiji Publicity Board and President of the Suva Rotary Club. His services to the Church, to charitable institutions, to education as Chairman of the Suva School Commit tee and a member of the Board of Edu cation. and to Rugby football, will be greatly missed, as well as his wide hospitality to Allied and other Service men to whom he extended open house.

Lieut.-Colonels F. W. Voelcker and G.

T. Upton, both attached to the Fiji Mili tary Force, have been awarded Bronze Star Medals* (United States), for courage and distinguished conduct during opera tions on Bougainville early in 1944 Both are New Zealand officers, and both come from Auckland.