Fiji-Born European

Death Of First

BORN at Nukulau Island, at the mouth ? lv £ r ’ on December 12. 1860, Mrs. W. S. Cooper, whose death has occurred at Nasavusavu, Fiji, is be lieved to have been the first European iSJE 16 was formerly Miss Alice Charlotte Smithyman. !n June, 1879, she married Mr. Walter Stonehaven Cooper, who had come from Wales in 1869 and had settled at Vuni wailevu in Nasavusavu Bay. They had six sons and three daughters. All but one son survive and live on the family estate.

Mrs. Cooper’s brother (three years younger) was the first male European born m Fiji. He became manager of the Government Press at Levuka, was respon sible for the building of the first Govern ment printing works at Suva, and, with JJr. G. A. Woods (formerly Premier in the Cakpbau Government), founded the Polynesian Gazette” at Levuka