Tributes To The Late

“Tibby Hagen”

IAM continually coming across inter esting references to the late “Tibby”

Hagen, that most interesting and enter taining of twentieth century traders.

In his chapter on the New Hebrides in his book “The Hot Countries,” English author Alec Waugh says how lucky he was to have “Tibby” as a companion. “I found him,” Mr. Waugh says, “the best raconteur I have ever met.”

Then the last issue of “Etudes Melan esiennes,” which reached me the other day, has a three page tribute to Tibby.

He far surpassed the average trader or business man in his knowledge of the manners and customs of the natives, and his library "was the best private collec tion I know of on the subject. He was also a member of the Hakluyt Society in Britain and the American Geographical Society, and he knew much more about his pet subject than any of the many writers on island life.

He was able to give the US Forces useful advice and geographical data when the Japanese were expected to land in the Hebrides, and I happen to know that they acted on it.

“Les Etudes Melanesiennes” gives the following account of his career, which his numerous friends in Australia and the islands may like to read; “John Charles Nicolas Hagen, eldest of a family of nine, was born in Noumea on February 26, 1880. He received much of his education in Australia, and his bi-lingual culture gained him as many friends in Sydney and London as in Noumea and Paris.

“In France for a time, he returned in 1903 on the death of his father to be come head of the family and to carry on the business. His name has since been

inseparably linked with the economic de velopment not only of New Caledonia but of all the islands of the Austral Pacific. Trader, shipowner, plantation owner, head of companies which he founded, his unflagging energies as well as his love of risk and danger and enter prize led him to open branches at Epi and Ambryn, at the Banks group, Santa Cruz and the Solomons. His Aneityum Logging Co. was started to exploit kauri timber at Anatom. At the same time he acquired such important undertakings as the Pacific Islands Investment Co. and the Banks Islands Company. Among his numerous Noumea activities was the Societe Maritime et Miniere Hagen (shipping and mining), and he was managing director of the Societe des lies Loyalty. “His knowledge of the isles and their populations, based on intimate experi ence as much as study, was remarkable, and he was always ready to relate some picturesque or amusing anecdote. His good humour, natural affability and willingness to oblige made him greatly esteemed, and he had a real gift for making friends. His popularity in the islands and even in France and over seas was great. He was so well known that one day a cable addressed “Tibby, South Seas” reached him without any delay.

“His life was a continual struggle, but he was never downhearted and was able to surmount all difficulties, thanks to his tenacity and abundant self-confidence.

In November, 1946, he was elected Presi dent of the Noumea Chamber of Com merce, in whose councils he had actively participated for nearly 40 years, and he was decorated with their gold medal.

Right to the last he was as'busy as ever, flying off one day to Santo, and the week after to Sydney or Brisbane. But some

time ago he was for some weeks out of action, at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney.

Back in Noumea, he resumed his normal life, but an attack of dengue aggravated his state of health and laid him low. His death robs this Society of one of the most interesting and active personalities of the South Pacific.”—H.E.L.P.