Popular Fljian Has

36 Years Service

SUVA, April 27.

ONE of the best-known of Fijian medical men, Assistant Medical Practitioner (Special Grade) Samisoni Fotu, has retired after 36 years’ service. Now appreaching 60 years of age, AMP Fotu says that he is “going back to the koro,” which means his home village of Lomaloma, in Lau.

In 1907 he was among the first pupils at the then newly-established Queen Victoria School. He joined the Suva Medical School (now r the Central Medical School) in 1913 and, in the years since graduation,

he has been stationed in almost every medical district in the Colony, including Rotuma.

Respected by people of all races, AMP Samisoni is one of the Fijian medical men to whom Europeans in the outer districts firmly cling, often putting their trust in the instinctive ability of trained Fijians rather than going afield for Euro pean doctors. Samisoni Fotu is fore most among the Fijians who, in emergencies, have brilliantly per formed complicated surgical work.

His wife, Nurse Fine Liku, died two years ago. He had three sons (one of whom, AMP Tevita Fotu. is stationed at Tamavua) and three daughters.