Tabua for Queen Elizabeth

According to Fijian custom, following the death of the late King George VI, the chiefs of Fiji assembled at Government House, Suva, to perform the ceremony of Rengurengu—mourning for a High Chief. The presentation of the tabua which is part of the ceremony was made by Ratu George Cakobau, to the Acting Governor, Mr. A. F.

Stoddard, who forwarded it to the Queen.

In accordance with custoom, no announcement could be made be cause the ceremony was not complete until the Queen notified her accep tance of the tabua.

On May 13, Her Majesty, through the Secretary of State for the Colonies, sent the following message to the Acting Governor of Fiji: “The Queen accepts the tabua, and greatly appreciates the accompanying message of loyalty and sympathy.

Her Majesty has asked that the Fijian chiefs and people should be told of her gratitude and appreciation.”

In Auckland recently, in a bus queue, an elderly gentleman, seem ingly intent on developing an unpro fitable-political discussion, asked PlM’s correspondent just what was his ob ject in life. Then the whole atmis phere changed. The elderly gentle man was none other than Mr.

William Gilmour, brother of the Rev.

M. K. Gilmour, now retired in Sydney after 33 years’ service. He was mainly in Eastern Papua and was known there at “The Boatbuild

ing Missionary.”

‘political quietude of the remote "ijian villages”—were more aggrieved han the Indians.

In the end, the Government acted visely. But through tactlessness in he early stages it created doubts and nisgivings in quarters where it once mjoyed more or less blind trust.