Deaths Of Islands People

Mrs. Julia Nordman

The death on June, 15, 1952, of Mrs. Julia Nordman severed an in teresting link with the early Euro pean phase of Tahiti’s history. Mrs.

Nordman’s father. Isaac Thompson, first visited Tahki as a member of the crew of the American whaler W. Morgan. He returned to those seas in the American whaler Julia; and, in the Cook Islands, he settled on Atiu and married a woman of Atiu. When his son died, he to sea again and subsequently [remained on Maupiti, where he mar ried Punaatuipeetau A Taero, a Polynesian princess. They later lived at Paea, in Tahiti. They had five children —the youngest a girl, whom Thompson named Julia, after his old ship.

The children of Isaac Thompson became well-known in Tahiti. In 1883 Julia Thompson and her friend Miss Tapscott (who later became Mrs. John Bambridge) went with Mr. and Mrs. Herman Meve to San Francisco, making the round trip in the barquentine City of Papeete.

Soon after her return, Julia Thomp son married Alex E. Nordman, who had become a chief gunner in the United States Navy, and who had settled in Tahiti. They had five chil dren, of whom 3 survive—Mrs.

Howard King, of California, and Edward and Oscar Nordman, of

[Tahiti.

Brother Alexis

Brother Alexis (Henkelman), M.S.C., who died at Yule Island in June had lived 83 years, and spent 58 of them in Missionary service in Papua. He was born in Holland and was trained as an expert pastry cook. But he wanted to be a mis sionary, and he arrived in New Guinea in 1894 with a large band of young recruits—all of whom he sur

vived. Port Moresby then consisted of six or seven European houses.

Brother Alexis filled many jobs— sailor, printer, storekeeper, bursar, teacher, plantation manager. But he was best known for his fine seaman ship as the skipper of the neat and game little mission ketch Saint An drew, in the days when this century was young. He liked to remember that, given a stiff south-easter, he could take the ketch from Moresby to Yule in 7i hours.

Mr. Leslie Davidson

Mr. Leslie Davidson who has been practising law at Ba, Fiji for over 40 years died on July 14, aged 84.

His wife died about 18 months ago. He is survived by one son now living in Auckland, NZ.

Mr. Ephraim Hathaway

The death occurred in Suva, Fiji, on July 16 of Mr. Ephraim Hatha way. He was born in Fiji, at Wain unu in 1865 and for many years carried on business as a building contractor. One of his buildings was the Cape Washington Light house.

In 1916 he founded the Waimanu Sawmilling Co. which is still in op eration.

His wife died three years ago. He is survived by two daughters, Mrs.

W. M. Pearman and Mrs. L. Sanford, both of Suva, one grand-daughter and four great-grand-daughters.

Mr. E. Framhein

Mr. Edward Framhein died at Rarotonga, Cook Islands, during July.

He was son of the late Karl Emil Wilhelm Framhein who was a Cap tain in the Imperial German Navy, and a member of a well known Rarotonga family.

He is survived by three sons and eight daughters.

Mrs. Tuhirani Snow

Mrs. Tuhirani Snow, An Old

and respected resident of Raro tonga, died there at Tupapa on July 17, aged 81.

She is survived by three sons and four daughters, including Mrs. Val Savage, Mrs. Teariki Tamarua, Mr.

Teariki Samuela and Mrs. Edward Franheim.

Mrs. G. Crummer

Mrs. George Crummer, senior, died at Avarua Hospital, Rarotonga on July 8, aged 74 years.

Mrs. Crummer was a member of one of the leading families of Raro tonga and had been resident in the Ngatangiia district for very many years. She is survived by her hus band, and by a number of sons and daughters.

Mrs. E. W. Fenner—

Mr. E. D. Francis

Two well-known members of the Fiji community of half a century ago—Mrs. E. W. Fenner and Mr. E.

D. Francis, both of the CSR Co’s staff—died in Killara, Sydney, within a month of each other, recently.

Mrs. Fenner, who passed away on July 15, aged 87, went to Fiji, as a bride, in 1885. Her husband man aged the CSR Co’s sugar mill at Rarawai, and she was one of only three white women in the district at that time. After a transitory period of 20 years—when they moved around from mill to mill—Mr. Fen ner was appointed general manager in Fiji. Mr. and Mrs Fenner had six children, three of whom—F. W. and P. C. Fenner, both in retirement in Sydney, and Dr. N, Fenner, of Castle Hill, NSW—are alive. Mr. and Mrs. Fenner retired in 1918, to Sydney, where Mr. Fenner pre-de ceased his wife in 1937.

Mr. E. D. Francis, who died, after a short illness, at the age of 75, went to Fiji in 1904, for the CSR Co., as a young man. After some seven years with the Co.—during which time he helped to build the Nadi- Lautoka-Tavua railway—he leased a sugar plantation, at Tavua, from the Co. and ran it for about 20 years until labour troubles forced him to return it. Mr. Francis was married twice, and leaves one daughter.

For the first time in history the Governorship of French Oceania has been raised to first-class rank.

M. Petitbon, the present Governor of Tahiti, is the first to receive this honour. He is on the point of leav ing Tahiti on an official visit to Paris.