Deaths Of Islands People

Father Roduit

The Roman Catholic Mission of the Sacred Heart Order has suffered another loss in staff, through the death of Father Roduit who was stationed at Ononghe in the Goilala district of Papua.

He died at the mission on December 12.

Father Roduit, 42, was a Swiss by nationality, and came to the Papuan mission field in 1936. He played a vital part in the establishment of the mission and out-station missions in the mountainous region of Ononghe,

working on construction of I essential network of roads and ste tracks linking the various missi centres. He was also responsible J much of the work on the construct! of the out-station buildings.

In 1946 he was ordered back Europe for health reasons; howev in early 1952 he was able to reti to Papua where he resumed his 1 of service at Ononghe.

Soon after his return a fall earth in a dug-out storehouse at 1 Ononghe Mission collapsed on c of the missionaries who died aim immediately. Father Roduit assist in the rescue operations and it thought that the shock brought hi a return of his old complaint.

Mr. Arthur Head

Mr. Arthur Head, one of Nil] oldest identities, died at his home Alofi on November 18, aged 80.

His father, Robert Henry He was one-time Mate of the Lond Missionary Society’s barque the Jc Williams II which was wrecked Niue in 1867, on her first voyage the South Seas. Robert Head marr a Niuean woman, Perinese, a d Cendant of one of the old kin Their family eventually scattei over the Pacific and one of few s living is Mr. Allan Head, who a resides on Niue.

Arthur spent many years schooners and later larger shi making a voyage to England wh he was able to visit his fath( relatives.

In 1901 he married Kilimana, granddaughter of the second to 1 king of Niue, Fataaiki. Soon al their marriage they went to E Island where Arthur worked Lever Brothers as an overseer, his return to Niue, he comment trading and continued in that oc pation until 1950. Because of fluent command of both English £ Niuean he was official interpreter the Administration for some yes All their family have settled o side Niue—most of them in N Zealand. He is survived by his \* and 15 of their 18 children.

Mrs. E. J. Mathews

Mrs. E. J. Mathews, daughter Mr. and Mrs. Tom Shearman, Rarotonga, and herself well kno in the Cook Islands for many yei died in Auckland recently. I husband pre-deceased her last Ap at the age of 82. Mr. Mathews 1

jen associated with the firms of A. , Donald and Co. and Jagger & arvey, Ltd., at Rarotonga.

Mr. C. C. David

Mr. Chonam Cheng David, one of e best-known of Suva’s Chinese erchants, died on December 28. p was about 52, spent most of his lyhood in Hong Kong and over [ years ago, after a short time in svuka, moved to Suva with his wife id opened the confectionery and ilk bar business which bears his |me,

Mrs. Emma Walker

Mrs. Emma Walker, who was born Kanacea, Fiji, in 1871, died at iva on Christmas Day. Before her arriage, Mrs. Walker was Miss bman.

She is survived by three sons Messrs. W. Hatch and N. R. Walker Suva and Mr. H. M. Walker of iranaki, New Zealand), three lighters (Mrs. N. J. Macdonald and d Mrs. J. J. Florian, of Suva, and rs. A. J. Carter, of Auckland), 30 andchildren and 22 great-grand lildren.

Mr. Kelvin P. Hardy

Vn Australasian Petroleum Company iptain, Kelvin Patrick Hardy, aged

30 years, died aboard the barge Gabuna on January 1.

Hardy (who was the master of the barge) became ill when the craft was on a routine voyage from Port Moresby to Vailala, Papua, and died as the vessel reached Kairuku.

The Coroner returned a verdict of death by natural causes.

Mr. Hardy, who is survived by his mother, Mrs. D. Hardy of Sydney, had been with the APC in charge of various vessels since late 1950.

Mr. H. Irwin

Mr. Harry Irwin, Inspector of Police, Western Samoa, died suddenly

n Auckland on New Year’s Day, Iged 50. [Mr. Irwin, who was on leave in ifew Zealand, went to Samoa in 919, and had a long record of dis [nguished service. Last year he was tppointed inspector and second in bmmand of the reorganised Force.

Ie was due to retire late in 1953. [ Many members of the Samoan jommunity in Auckland attended his pneral, including Mr. A. L. Lewis, if the Island Territories Department, nd the Hon. A. M. Gurau, member if the Legislative Assembly of

Western Samoa.

Mr. Irwin is survived by his wife bur sons and three daughters.

Mr. R. Main

The death occurred in Levuka, f iji. on December 4, of Mr.

Reginald Main, one of Levuka’s lest known personalities.

I He was 74 and had been a resi lent of Levuka since 1911 when he irrived from Lincolnshire via Aus ralia. He was a departmental hanager in Morris Hedstrom’s local iranch until his retirement two years igo. He was a former president of he Levuka Bowling Club and Ova au Club and a prominent Mason. ; He is survived by his wife, one laughter, Mrs. D. Grieb, and a step on and step-daughter—Mr. Howard ■eder and Mrs. A. Lee of Suva.

Mr. Harry Goodman

Mr. Harry Goodman died in Suva in December 30 at the age of 79. ie was born at Chepstow, England md spent his youth in Queensland.

He went to Fiji to work for Jrodziak’s and was later employed y other firms in the Colony.

Mr. R. G. Speedie

The death occurred in Papua re tently of Mr. Ronald G. Speedie vho was believed to have been in lis early fifties.

I Mr. Speedie joined Sir Hubert Murray’s staff when he was 17 and nade history by retiring on pension if ter 20 years’ service at the age )f 37—he was then an Assistant Resident Magistrate. In 1935, with Watkins, he was the first to ascend Mt. Yule. He retired about 1938 md since has been engaged in plant bg in Papua.

Mr. Alexander G.

Cruickshank

A well-known resident of the Morobe District, 27-years old Alexander George Cruickshank, died at Lae on December 15 from malig nant cerebral malaria and black- Water fever.

Mr. Cruickshank was a war veteran and when he first arrived in the Territory in 1948 worked at Bulolo, and then later for the Morobe Transport Company.

Mr. L. C. Grahame

At Buin (Bougainville) on November 30, Mr. Lynn Colin Grahame, aged 42, died while fishing with explosives.

He is survived by his widow and a daughter who were living at Buin when his death occurred.

Mr. Grahame had been on the District Services staff from 1947 to 1950, and then left to engage in private enterprise in Bougainville.

Cantato C I Apqpxt

Captain C. S. Larsen

Captain Carl Sevrin Larsen, father of Mr. C. H. W. Larsen, Resident Commissioner of Niue, died at Weilington, NZ, on December 13, aged 76.

Captain Larsen was born at Tonsberg, Norway and went to sea at an early age. He spent some time on the Queensland opal fields before going to New Zealand where he obtained his Master’s Certificate a " d JL erved . a number of vessels of NZ re B lstr y- Mr. C. H. W. Larsen arrived in Auckland on Tofua only the day preceding his father’s death.

Mr Ernest Evenett

f , eve of going to press news has been received of the death, on December 28 of one of Papua s °‘ d st residents Mr. Ernest Evenett, ° f Samarai > 3 8 ed 80 rr , , ... . , .

He has been ,n '“-health for some

t,me -

He is survived by his widow and seven children, three of whom live in Samarai.