Experiment in Administration

rE appointment of two native ad ministrative officers in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands marks a milestone in the history of British native adminis tration in the Pacific. The experiment of appointing native administrative offi cers in the West Pacific is a new one, and their work will be watched with interest. The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific says that he has been impressed by the manner in which the new officers have entered upon their new duties and responsibilities, and the fav ourable reception with which their ap pointments have been received by the general native population. (“Colonial Office Press Section,” June 27, 1945.) News has only recently been received in Fiji of the death of Mr. Leslie Russell, formerly of the Education Department, Fiji. It appears that he died over two years ago, while a prisoner in Japanese hands, but no news of this reacned his wife until now. In 1939, Mr. Russell was transferred to Malaya, and was there during the Japanese invasion. His wife was evacuated from Malaya before Singa pore fell, but he remained behind as a member of the FMS Volunteer Forces.

Mr. C. H. Came, for many years on the staff of Morris, Hedstrom, Ltd., of Ba, and more recently attached to Fiji’s Economic Welfare Office and Labour Department, has been appointed Rehabilitation Officer in sucession to Lieut.-Colonel J. B. K.

Taylor.