Golden Wedding Of Captain

And Mrs. J. Duncan

Capt. And Mrs. “Jimmy” Duncan,

one of the best-known residents of Rabaul District, New Britain, cele brated 50 years of marriage with a party in Sydney on February 8. Their anni versary is on February 9 —but they started the party of the Bth and let it extend to the 9th.

Forty-five guests, including members of their family and New Guinea friends, were entertained. Their three children— Mrs. Jess Ross, of Lae, New Guinea, Mr.

Norman Duncan, of New Britain, and Group-Captain W. J. Duncan, RAAF, now stationed in NSW —were there.

Captain and Mrs. Duncan were married in Thursday Island, when he was interested in pearling. He met his wife when he was on the UK-Australia run— when a seaman got £2/10/- per month and he, as second mate, got £4/10/-. He went to sea at 15, and served his time in sail.

He knew Papua well before World War I, and in 1916 he went to Rabaul in the naval forces. In 1926 he bought his plan tation at Rapopo, near Kokopo, where he and Mrs. Duncan built up a fine property—until the Japs came in 1941, and the Allied bombers later destroyed their home and most of their coconuts.

During World War 11, although of an age when most men are prepared to sit back and tell others how to run a war, the Captain went back to the merchant navy, and gave distinguished service in several jobs—finally, as Rabaul harbour master.

Captain and Mrs. Duncan are anxious to go for a world wander—“before they are too old to enjoy it” —but they are kept in a state of glorious uncertainty as to whether or not the Commonwealth Gov ernment requires their property at Rapopo for the new administrative centre.

In the meantime, he is working the quarter of his plantation that re mained to him after the war and has built a small house on part of the foundations of the old pre-war one.