Deaths Of Islands People

See deaths of Sir W. Carpenter, p. 39; Mr. S. A. Greenland and Mr.

H. A. Markham, p. 142.)

Capt. D. H. Cambridge

Captain D. H. Cambridge, former master of the Polynesian schooners Tiare Taporo and Tagua, and owner master of the extraordinary, now wrecked ketch Taipi, died at Mani hiki atoll, Northern Cooks, on January 12.

Captain Cambridge’s last sea-go ing task, we believe, was as master of A. B. Donald & Co.’s Cook Islands motor vessel Charlotte Donald on a voyage to New Zealand two years ago. Since then he has been living quietly at Manihiki.

The story of the wanderings of Captain Cambridge and his famous

Taipi in the Cook Islands has been told at some length in past PlM’s.

On numerous occasions he was re ported lost at sea, only to turn up at last with half his cargo used as ship-stores and he and his crew reduced to drinking the water from dry coconuts, a supply of which he always carried in the bottom of the hold to keep the cargo clear of bilge water.

Captain Cambridge, was, we be lieve, born in New Zealand, where he was well known, in sail and steam. He was in his seventies at the time of his death.

Mr. Vaevae Ngatae

Mr. Vaevae Ngatae, prominent member of a well-known Rarotonga

family, died there recently at ttl early age of forty years, from in fluenza complications. He leaves widow and young family.

Greatly esteemed by Maori am Pakeha alike, Mr. Ngatae spent hr youth at Puka Puka, later acquire property in Rarotonga, where he be< came an important exporter o Islands produce.

In 1948, when the Cook Island Progressive Association was badlii directed by some of its advisers, MI Ngatae, through his peaceful ann friendly nature, was a powerful steadying influence. He saw thl Association as means of unifying thri Cook Islands planters and of aidino the agricultural development of thd Group.

Mr. Alex Wilson

Mr. Alexander Wilson, who was Administrator of Norfolk Island foo seven years—retiring early in 1955 —died in Victoria on January 26< aged 63.

Mr. Wilson, a farmer in Victoria had a brief political career. HI entered the Commonwealth Parliae ment in 1940 as a Country Part;! man, but in 1941 he joined witi) the Labour Party to defeat thr Country Party Government. HI soon afterwards retired and, abouo 1945, he was appointed Adminr istrator of NI. News of his untimely death was received in NI with man;r expressions of regret, and the flag? were flown half-mast.

Mr. A. F. Small

Mr. Arthur Frederick Small dieo? in his sleep on January 12, afteis a long illness, aged 67. He was s son of the late Rev. A. J. and Mrs:' Small, of Suva, and was born on< the beautiful and historic island ole Viwa, where his father was s Methodist missionary. He received? his later education at Newingtorn College, Sydney, and returned ini 1903 to Fiji, when his father was/ appointed to the new Mission!

Station in Suva.

Mr. Small joined the Bank oic New Zealand, and in 1910 he wasi transferred to Sydney. After ser vice in World War I he returned); to Suva in 1919, and became theaj Bank’s accountant there. He married) Miss Ethel Bond, of Auckland, and) later he was the Bank’s managen? at Levuka and Apia (Samoa). Hissi later service before retirement inn 1947 was in New Zealand. He ieavess? a widow, two sisters (Mrs. J. J.. 1 McHugh, of Suva, and Mrs. R. B.c Gosnell, of Ashburton) and as brother, Mr. A. W. Small, a retiredb Civil Servant in NZ.

Major J. M. Cauty

The death occurred recently inn Fiji of Major J. M. Cauty, of Waini--. vesi, Tailevu. He was a New Zea— lander and went to Fiji during thee Second World War to assist in thee, training of Fijian Commandos. Hee settled in the Colony at the endb of the war.

He had a distinguished record inn the First World War.

Mrs. Stella Ramsamu

Vlrs. Stella Ramsamu died in Suva ;ently. She was associated with rious charitable organisations in ji, and was well known and liked roughout the Colony. She is sur ged by three daughters and two ns.

Mr. N. C. Blazey

Alter a long illness, Mr. N. Claude azey died in Port Moresby on >xing Day.

An electrical engineer with the immonwealth Dept, of Works, he ined the Pt. Moresby office in fvember, 1950. He was 56.

With his wife and daughter he japed from Burma at the time the Japanese invasion and went England.

Ie Rev. Fr. John Verbays,

SM.

On the eve of his return to Fiji ter his first vacation in France ice joining the Catholic mission ere in 1936. Father Verbays. SM. sd suddenly last Christmas Eve, ed 45. He had served at Nabala, levu, Naiserelagi and Loreto. He ;t Fiji last May.

Mr. M. Wright, Jnr.

The accidental death of Mr. Mait ad Wright, Jnr., occurred at his irents’ home in Suva on Jan iry 29.

He was electrocuted while work ing on his car with an electric drill which had been plugged into a light socket and not earthed.

Mrs. Iris Thomas

The death, after a long illness, occurred on Norfolk Island in early January of Mrs. Iris Thomas. She was the proprietress of Hillcrest guest house and a charming hostess to many visitors to the island.

She was, as well, extremely popular amongst the Island folk She is survived by her husband, Mr. Clem Thomas.

The six MOP shell machine-diving licenses allocated to the Manihiki lagoon, Cook Is., were assigned for 1954 season to Messrs. Abela Williams, Ben Ellis, Philip Woonton, Pepe Macate, Tarackt and Allan Brown.