Deaths Of Islands People

Capt. J. L. Rawson

Shortly after he had taken over lommand of Steamships Trading 20. Doma, Captain J. L. Rawson lied suddently at sea on February 10, while the vessel was between Daru and Kikori, in the Gulf of >apua.

The Captain was well known in he Solomons and in other parts >f the SW Pacific.

He served with the Cunard Line n the Atlantic for many years, but »wing to a slight defect in his ight was unable to continue in hat service. In the early Twenties, le went to the Solomon Islands s Captain of the Lever Brothers’ >S Koonakarra. In 1930 he went d Hongkong to take delivery of heir vessel the MV Kurimarau. He ontinued in service as Master of tie Kurimarau for many years in tSIP, and in 1942, when the Jap nese invasion appeared imminent, e was responsible for the evacua ion of all Lever Brothers’ staff, ogether with many other Euro eans—l3o persons in all —and inded them safely in Sydney.

Captain Rawson and the Kuri tarau were commandeered by the toyal Australian Navy and en aged in the submarine blockade f Darwin. She was bombed on sveral occasions, but remained float.

After the Americans had landed n Guadalcanal, Captain Rawson as seconded to the US Navy Intel gence. He was stationed on Guadal anal with Admiral Turner’s staff nd later joined Admiral Turner’s lagship, Macaulay, as Pilot for the ivasion of Munda and Kolom angara. He piloted the invasion eet into these waters, and dur ig the operation, Macaulay was mk by enemy action. Captain .awson, one of the last to leave le ship, was picked up by a US estroyer and was later transferred ) General Macarthur’s head larters and served in the Philli ines area until the end of the war.

His next visit to the Solomon ilands was in 1947 as Captain of ie Admiral Chase, which was load ig war salvage from Tulagi for r . R. Carpenter & Co. Limited, i 1949, Captain Rawson again re irned to the Solomons and acted ir a short period as Marine Super itendent for the BSIP Govern lent at Honiara.

Sister Ethel, Mcmillan

A pioneer nursing sister of the bthodist Mission in BSI, Sister thel McMillan, died suddenly in bibourne on January 17.

Sister McMillan opened the iethodist Mission’s work among Dmen and girls on the island of tioiseul in 1915, and served there •r 26 years.

Inter-tribal fighting was still go g on in Choiseul in 1915; and a ■eat many women died in child

birth as a result of hard work in the village gardens. Motherless children were brought to her at the mission house, and in most villages on Choiseul to-day there are young people who are alive because of her care.

Sister McMillan revisited Choiseul 11 years after her retirement in connection with the celebration of the golden jubilee of the Methodist Mission in BSI.

Wing-Commander J. Bray

Wing Commander John Bray, OBE, a former commander of the RNZAF station at Laucala Bay, Fiji, died in England on February 22, after a brief illness, at the early age of 40. He is survived by his wife (who was Miss Peg Costello, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pat Cos tello, of Suva), and two young daughters.

Wing Commander Bray was due to return to Air Department, Wel lington, after four years as Senior Air Staff Officer at RNZAF Head quarters in London. He was held in high esteem, both in and out of the Service, and his unexpected death terminated what promised to be a successful career in the Air Force.

Mr. and Mrs. Costello returned only a few weeks ago from a visit to Europe, where they saw much of their daughter and her husband.

Mr. Robert Davidson

An old and respected European resident of Apia, Western Samoa, Mr. Robert Davidson, passed away on February 18. Mr. Davidson had been a settler in Samoa for 30 years and had taken an active interest in business and in sport. He was over 70.

His widow, Mrs. Nellie Davidson, who was on her way home after a visit to New Zealand, is the youngest daughter of the famous Coe family, and therefore a half-sister of the late Mrs. Paul Kolbe (“Queen Emma”) of New Guinea.

Ratu Etuate And Ratu

Kinijioji

The death occurred recently of Ratu Etuate Wainiu, highest rank ing Fijian chief by birth, at the age of 90 years, at Bau Island.

Ratu Etuate, who held the title of Vunivalu, was the eldest son of Ratu Cakobau’s eldest son and uncle of Ratu G. K. Cakobau.

Another chief, Ratu Kinijioji, of Burebasaga, Rewa, died at about the same time following a lengthy illness, aged 66 years.

Mr. William G. Garnett

Mr William G. Garnett, son of an old established Fiji family, died in Suva. January 17, in his 62nd year Mr Garnett had been with Burns Philp and Co. in Fiji for over 30 years.

He is survived by his wife and two sons, one a resident of Suva, the other of Sydney.

Mrs. C. B. Tilney

Mrs. C. B. Tilney died in Suva in February, after a long illness.

Mr. and Mrs. Tilney were for many years well-known residents of Ba.

Mr. Douglas Quayle

Mr. Douglas Quayle, aged 54, died suddenly at Samarai, Papua, in March. He was well known to many residents and he was accorded an RSL funeral. The service in the Anglican Church, Samarai, was conducted by Bishop P. N. W, Strong.