Death Of Mr. D. L Pullen

THE death occurred in Derby, W.A., in early March, of Mr. D. L. Pullen, until 1949 a well-known resident of Papua where he had lived for 26 years.

He was 54.

Mr. Pullen was a pre-war member of the Papuan Public Service and returned to the combined P-NG service in Port Moresby after the war. He was president of the Papuan Public Service Association before the present P-NG organisation was formed and in the immediate post-war years did much to have the grievances of the Territory’s public servants brought out into the open.

He retired in 1949 and went to Western Australia where he joined the Native Affairs Department. He was given charge of the whole Kimberley District from the NT border to the 20th parrallel. In paying tribute to him after his death the WA Commissioner of Native Affairs said that he was a man of wide experience in native administration and was fully conversant with the department’s plans for the future. His replacement would present a great problem.

Mr. Pullen suffered a heart attack after playing in a cricket match. He appeared to be recovering but a fortnight later had a relapse and died.

He was a World War I veteran. He leaves a widow and two sons who are at college at New Norcia, WA.