Retirement Of Major

S. G. Masterman

Honiara, July 11. .

Major s. g. masterman has leis for the United Kingdom on pro' retirement leave, after nearly thirth years’ service with the BSIP Govern ment.

Major Masterman served in the during the First World War. After tbl 1918 peace, he went to Australia to bur and breed horses. The piece of serin country which he was able to obtain ii Northern New South Wales, and condif tions generally, were not what he has expected, and he decided to go to Nee Guinea. By a chance, and he believer for the only time, Burns Philp’s old Min. dini went to New Guinea by way of thl Solomons. Major Masterman ws^ promptly offered a job with the Proteof torate Government. After spending few months in a trading vessel operatim in the Western Solomons, he decided tr stay in the Protectorate and accept©, the Government job, and has made he life in the BSIP ever since, except foi the years of the last war, when he too part in almost every one of the majot operations on the other side of the worLI including Dunkirk and Normandy.

In 1927 he did much to restore ordd at Sinerango, Malaita, immediately aft«J the murder of Bell and Lillies, and sinci then has held various Government posttc his last appointment being as District Commissioner, Malaita.

Mr. Basil Hicks, with 25 years’ servio. has now taken over as the Governmeie servant with the longest record. Mr.

J. Shearwin and Mr. M. J. Bernhardt a* fairly close behind him.