Sir Alport Barker, K.B.,

C.B.E.

Knighthood Marks Long Period Of Public Service

NO one was surprised when Mr. T.

W. -Alport Barker, CBE editor proprietor of the Fiji Times, was created Knight Bachelor in the New Year Honours. Few people have given to Fiji a longer period of devoted and valuable public service. At the present time he is Mayor of Suva; a member of the Ex ecutive Council; a member of the Legis lative Council: President of the Suva Chamber of Commerce; President of the Board of Fire Commissioners; Chairman of the Fiji Publicity Board; Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fiji Museum;

and a member of innumerable committees, etc. He is a member of many sporting bodies. He has been doing this kind of thing since 1923, when he was first elec ted to the Legislative Council.

Any man who edits a newspaper and takes so large a part in public life would seem to have little time for personal hobbies. But Sir Alport Barker has spent time and money on a remarkable collec tion of historical documents relating to the Pacific Islands, and especially Fiji.

His private library on what might be called Pacificiana is described as one of the most complete in existence.

Sir Alport Barker came to Fiji with his parents from Canterbury, NZ, in 1885, and is one of three brothers who did well in the new Colony. John, an engineer, pioneered shipping and meat interests, and made and lost a fortune. Alport, a printer became the owner of the Western Pacific Herald, which he conducted vig orously. He married the daughter of the late Mr. J. B. Turner, an outstanding character and notable property-owner in Suva—best known, probably, while he was a canegrower at Nadarolulu, in the Rewa district. Lady Barker, like her father, is a woman of strong personality, and she helped her newspaper husband in many ways in those early days. They have one daughter, Molly, who married Mr. Frank Ryan, a well-known Fiji journ alist. The tireless industry of Alport Barker had its due reward after World War I when the two newspapers, Western Pacific Herald and Fiji Times were amal gamated, and the Fiji Times became a daily, with Alport Barker as owner and editor.

In his public life, and in the conduct of his newspaper, Sir Alport Barker is regarded as rather aggressive; but in his private life he is a most kindly and help ful man, and held in high esteem. The congratulations on his knighthood, which

showered in upon him in January, sug gested that his world holds, for him, only friends and well-wishers.

In this photograph, he appears in a formal black coat. Fiji does not know him that way. Fiji knows him best the way Suva folk have seen him for 30 years—in his short-sleeves, personally running his newspaper, while directing the activities of the Town Council and other public bodies and taking his full share in Government duties. Yet, no matter when one called, or how unwel come one was, Alport Barker would al ways lay down his pen and listen patiently and courteously. Fiji owes him a debt that titular honours can never repay.

Sir Alport Barker