Death Of Fiji Pioneer
p. 46 · Read in the full issue
Mr. W. T. Gatward
THE death occurred in Fiji at the end of November, of Mr. W. T. Gatward, who was born in Levuka 64 years ago, His parents went to Fiji from England before Cession in 1874.
As a young man he lived for a time in Victoria, where he married, but in 1913 returned to Fiji to settle at Tailevu.
Mr. Gatward began to grow and to trade in bananas there and his banana launches were made available without charge to carry most of the machinery from Suva for the butter factory which was established in connection with the returned soldiers’ dairy settlement scheme at Tailevu after the 1914-1918 War. He pioneered a passenger and goods service by launch before the road to Tailevu was built in the 30’s.
With the collapse of the Australian banana market, Mr. Gatward left the business and began dairying. In the early 30’s he converted his home into a hotel, and in recent years had begun to build a new hotel at Korovou Junction, a mile away.
Mr. Gatward was a skilful amateur conjurer and in his younger days appeared at many performances to raise money for public charities. He was a genial host and had a great many friends throughout Fiji.
His wife died in 1937 and Mr. Gatward is survived by three sons, William, Douglas and lan, all of whom are farming at Tailevu; and two daughters, Mrs. Dean of Christchurch, New Zealand, and Mrs.
Hunt of Vatukoula.