Deaths Of Islands People

Mr. Thomas L. Sefton

Mr. Thomas Leslie Sefton, one of he pioneers of the rubber industry n Papua, died at his home at Ela Beach, Port Moresby, on June 9, ifter a long illness. He was 70.

Mr. Sefton arrived in Papua from 'JSW in 1909. He was employed in 3 ort Moresby by the Bank of LS.W., but the following year be :ame manager of the Koitaki Estate it Sogeri—in those days there was 10 road and the climb over the Bluff to Sogeri Valley was ac :omplished on foot or with the aid >f a good horse.

He was manager of Koitaki for ilmost 40 years until his illness ibout 5 years ago, after which his on. Mr. Colin Sefton, succeeded lim as manager.

Mr. Sefton was a foundation nember of the Papua Planters’ As iociation. He was president on nany occassions.

In" his lifetime as a planter, he nade an outstanding contribution to he rubber industry, both in prac ical development, and in his work or the Association; he played a comment part in overcoming nany economic problems of the larly days.

The present president of the As ;ociation, Mr. E. Fairfax-Ross, ;aid of him; “As his memorial, here stands the thousands of >lanted acres in the Sogeri valley md the deep respect of his fellow fianters.”

Mr. Sefton leaves a widow, a laughter, (Mrs Phil Oakley), and iis son Colin. All are living in >ort Moresby.

Mr. Arthur Joske

Mr. Arthur Joske, probably the ast of the European pioneers of Suva, died in Sydney m May. He vas more than 80. He went to Fiji vith his parents in 1870, his father aking up land at Suva from the

Polynesian Company.

He was educated in Australia and oined the firm of Brown and Joske now W. R. Carpenter and Co.).

Later he founded his own business is commission agent and banana myer and shipper. He made his iome in Sydney when he retired.

Mr. J. P. Molloy

An old and well known Fijian ■esid Q nt Mr. J. P. Molloy, died in Suva on May 28, at the age of • He was born and educated at l,evuka. He later joined the firm >f Henry Marks & Co., and then hr many years was in charge of the

Suva municipal market.

Colonei# F. W. Voelcker

a former Administrator and High 3 omSoner of Western Samoa, Lieutenant-Colonel F. W vow, :BE, DSO, MC, died on May 22 at !is home in Auckland. He was 58.

After a distinguished military career during the First and Second World Wars (he commanded the Third Battalion, Fiji Regiment, in the Solomons campaign), Colonel Voelcker was appointed Adminis trator of Western Samoa. In 1948 he raised the new Samoan flag and became the first High Commissioner of the Territory.' He also represented New Zealand at the South Pacific Commission.

Relinquishing his position as High Commissioner in 1949, he returned to NZ and later served in Korea with the United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency. He was in valided from Korea in 1953.

Colonel Voelcker initiated many development schemes in the Terri tory, particularly roads, water sup plies and the new broadcasting scheme from Station 2 AP.

A requiem service was held on May 26 at Apia Anglican Chaplaincy.

The service was conducted by the Rev. C. Whonsbon-Aston; the Chief

Judge, Mr. C. C. Marsack, deliver ing a memorial address.

Sir Frederick Doidge

The High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, Sir Frederick Doidge, died there recently at the age of 70. He was formerly Min ister for External Affairs and Min ister of Island Territories, and in the latter capacity visited Western Samoa in 1950.

Rev. J. F. Goldie

The “father” of the Methodist Mission in the British Solomon Islands, Rev. John Francis Goldie, died at his home in Melbourne on June 29. He was 84. (Over)

Mr. Goldie was born in Tasmania, but at the turn of the century he was a Methodist Minister in Queensland.

When a contingent of Melanesian sugar workers was being returned from there to the Islands, he volun teered for service with the Methodist Mission Society and subsequently, in 1902, started nearly 50 years of mission work on an islet in the Roviana lagoon. His first assist ants were a handful of teachers from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, and from his early work has developed the virile Methodist Mission throughout the BSI Protectorate and in Bougainville.

Mr. Goldie founded the mission on sound principles which have been acceptable to his colleagues.

He believed that education and re ligion were complementary.

His wife, Helena, went to New Georgia as a bride and was one of the first white women to live in the Group. She died in Melbourne in 1949.

In 1951, Mr. Goldie retired after leading the mission for 49 years, and made his home in Melbourne.

The Methodist Church in New Zealand had, in the intervening years, taken over the responsibility of the missions in the Western Solomons, Bougainville and Buka, so that later in the year of his re tirement Mr. Goldie toured New Zealand as guest of honour at many church gatherings.

Following the translation of smaller religious works, Mr. Goldie completed the translation of the complete New Testament into Roviana during his retirement. He also supervised the publication of other mission books.

He is survived by three married daughters.

Mr. Eric Weine

The death, following an accident, of Mr. Eric Weine occurred at the Base Hospital, Dubbo, on June 21.

He was 62.

Mr. Weine was a well-known re sident of Wau, New Guinea, from the early 30’s to the time of the evacuation. He had a dental practice there. He did not return to the Territory after the war, and for some years has been practising j in Wellington, NSW.

The accident which caused his death occurred when he was re- J turning home after a day’s clay pigeon shooting. His car left the road and hit a tree.

He is survived by his daughter Margot (Mrs. John Lyall).

Mr. Walter H. Lucas

(See Talk-Talk, this issue ) Mr. Walter H. Lucas, one of the outstanding personalities of the South Pacific at the time of the First World War, and first chair man of the NG ♦Expropiation Board, died in Canberra recently at the age of 85. He had been in ill-health for some time.

Mr. Lucas had many years with Burns, Philp & Co. Ltd. before he

ccepted several official appoint ments. He joined the company in le New Hebrides, but later went > Sydney to supervise the com any’s interests in the South-West During World War I he left the rnipany to become technical ad iser to the Federal Government u Pacific Islands matters.

He, Judge (later Sir Hubert) lurray and Atlee Hunt constituted Board of Inquiry at the end of le war to consider the desirability f the amalgamation of Papua and ae newly-acquired German New ruinea. In a majority report, Lucas nd Hunt opposed the union.

Later, Mr. Lucas was anpointed tiairman of the “Expro” Board to quidate the German commercial iterests in New Guinea.

After his retirement, Mr. Lucas stained an interest in one or two lantations and was still a director f them at the time of his death.

Mr. Lucas is survived by one son, rnest. Mrs. Lucas died some years go. Mr. Ernest Lucas is now in ngland, having been on board ship r hen his father died. He is an ngineer with the British Phosphate 0., which has new ships under con duction in England.

Another son was an engineer at arliament House, Canberra. He ied several years ago.

Mr. E. P. Wood

The death occurred on March 23 t the Concord Repatriation Hos ital. Sydney, of Mr. Eric Percy 7ood.

He will be remembered as having Dent some time in Rarotonga in he 1920’s before going to New ruinea w T here he managed Neinduk nd Lilinikai plantations in the lainings for W. R. Carpenter & Co. efore World War 11.

Mrs. Margaret Wright

A well-known identity of Wau, few Guinea, Mrs. Margaret Wright, ied suddenly at the European Hos ital. Wau, on June 25.

She was one of the early pioneers f the Morobe District having rrived in the Territory in 1923 and i Salamaua in 1927. .

Before the war, Mrs. Wright pent much of her time at Rabaul. [avieng, Manus, and, in the later ears resided at Golden Ridges iea r Wau and after the war re amed there.

She took a keen interest m all ivic affairs and was a staunch sup iorter of all local charities.

Mrs. Wright is survived by her tusband, Mr. James Wright.

Brother David

Brother David, the oldest Marist Brother in New Zealand and ormerly stationed in Fiji, died in

Vellington recently.

Brother David, who 1™“ n Sydney 62 years ago seived eaching missionary foi 33 years m going there first about 1900.

Captain H. S. Collier

Captain H. S. Collier, perhaps best known as Master of the four-masted barque Pamir during the latter days of her service under the New Zealand flag, collapsed and died in an Auckland street recently.

He served in many Union Steam Ship Co. Island vessels.

If The engagement was announced recently of Miss Patricia Margaret Wood, of Auckland, to Mr. David Cowell Boys, of Masterton, NZ, both of whom have been residing in Rarotonga for the past year. Mr.

Boys was born in Rabaul in 1933 and lived in the Bainings for the first 10 years of his life. He has just completed a term on Raro tonga Radio staff.