Heaths Of Islands People

M. Albert Leboucher

A. Albert Leboucher, 67, one of i most public spirited and popular zens of Papeete, Tahiti, died re of a heart ailment on No iber 29.

I. Leboucher was affectionately )wn as “Papa pute Tane.’’ He ; a forceful opponent of all in dices he deemed harmful to the ony and to the Tahitian people, was a successful merchant, once rating the three-masted schooner ta to the United States. He was ) a skilled healer by the use of nese needles (known locally as u Poncture”), his services being

dy sought in this capacity by local people. the political sphere M. >ucher had for years been Pre it of the Territorial Assembly, was a recipient of the Medal le Legion of Honour, s death will be regretted also he Orafara leper patients who fited greatly by his efforts as ident of the leper aid committee.

Leboucher is. survived by his three sisters, three sons, and daughters.

3Ter Beatrice Wilkins

's. Beatrice Wilkins, better m to all in Fiji as Sister ins, died at Lautoka hospital itly after a brief illness, iter Wilkins first went to Fiji ster-in-Charge of the CSR Co.’s sa hospital in 1915, remaining J until her retirement in 1939. was immensely popular and ig her life at Labasa officiated ie birth of a great many people living in Fiji or now scattered ver the world. her retirement Sister Wilkins a small house built at Korotoga, it became a port of call for at many people motoring round Vevu. iter Wilkins is survived by a Jack, of the CSR Co., Labasa.

M. Jean Simon

Monsieur Jean Simon, a very well known citizen of French Oceania died in Papeete on November 26. m’

Simon had held many Government posts. He was at one time a notary at Uturoa, and later Court Recorder in Papeete. He was associated with the French Phosphate Co. for a period. His father was for many years Harbour Master at Papeete M. Simon, who was aged 54 is survived by two sisters, Madame Pierson and Madam Dubouch. His wife died some years ago.

Mr. R. Dixon

Mr. R. Dixon, a steward on the MV Malaita, died on December 31 at the Central Hospital, Honiara’

BSIP, from a heart attack.

Mr. Dixon, who was over 70, had previously suffered from severe heart attacks, and was admitted to hospital when he became very ill during the recent visit of the Malaita

Miss S. V. Gloster

Residents of Honiara were shocked by the death in her sleep, on De cember 8, of Miss Susanne Vere Gloster, a very popular young em ployee of the Treasury Department.

Miss Gloster, who went to the Solomons in 1952, was due for leave early in 1955 and had planned a trip to the United States. Her death was possibly due to a head injury which she suffered in Sydney some years ago and which had caused her to suffer headaches from time to time.

Mr. W. H. Ramsay

Mr. William Hamilton Ramsay, Marine Assistant in the BSIP

Marine Department, died at Honiara on December 17 from pneumonia. Mr. Ramsay joined the staff of WPHC in Suva in 1932 and in 1936 was posted to the GEIC.

During the war he served as a Lieutenant in the Gilberts defence force. In 1947 he was transferred to the Solomons. Mr. Ramsay was the youngest son of Dr. and Mrs, W. Ramsay, of Suva Point, Suva.

He was aged 44.

Mr. Percy William Glover

Mr. Percy William Glover, a re sident of Western Samoa for the past 30 years, died suddenly in the Apia Public Hospital at the end of November. A Science graduate of Canterbury College, NZ, Mr. Glover first went to Samoa as a meteor ologist at the local observatory.

Later he established himself as a Commission Agent and Accountant.

He was a keen astronomer, many of his articles on this subject hav ing been published in scientific journals.

Mr. M. Garrick

Mr. Merwin Garrick, well-known Pacific Islands identity, died in London in December, 1954. He was the son of Dr. Carrick, who served some years as CMO in Tonga. Mr.

Carrick was married to Tu’ifua Veikune, the eldest daughter of one of the high chiefs of Vava’u and a relative of Queen Salote. Mr.

Carrick is survived by his widow and three daughters.

Mr. Edwin James Bradnam

Mr. Edwin James Bradnam died in Auckland on December 21 aged 85. He was a resident of Fiji for many years, being employed with the CSR Co., the Vancouver Fiji Sugar Co., at Navua, and with the

M. Leboucher.

übllc Works Department. He was so manager of a copra plantation i Clcia Island for a time. He left ie Colony in 1942 to retire to New saland, where he was born.

Mr. Bradnam is survived by a rge number of children of two arriages, four of whom are re lent in Fiji at present.

Mr George Batty

Mr. George Batty, well known re lent of Fiji for the past 40 years, ;d at his Suva residence in De nber at the age of 86. His wife ;d in August, 1954.

Mr. Batty was employed by ver a 1 firms, including Sturt, ilvie Ltd., Burns Philp (SS) Co. 1 and A. M. Brodziak Ltd., and s also for a time caretaker at ; Fiji Museum. He is survived a daughter in Wales and a son Australia.

Mr. S. Powell

A.r. Sydney Powell, a member of very well known Levuka, Fiji, lily, died recently aged 54 years. 4r. Powell, for many years, was the employ of Morris Hedstrom, I. In 1949 he was appointed ountant to the Central Fijian ;asury. He is survived by his e, formerly Miss Alice Eastgate, Levuka.

Pastor Maruata

astor Matemutukore Maruata, pears-old former LMS pastor of ngaia, Cook Islands, died sud ly on November 17, 1954. The tor was a pupil of the pioneer sionary, the Rev. C. W. Harris, had a record of more than sixty rs’ unbroken church attendance, was a prominent figure in local irs. He was a landowner among chiefly caste of the Veitatei e, and was an immensely strong al influence among his people, ipa Mate, as he was familiarly wn, was twice married, and a e family from both marriages cattered among the Cooks and Australs. His funeral was con ned in his own compound by ;or Tuau, of the LMS Mission.

The Rev. Brother

Pamphiliu S

ie Rev. Brother Pamphilius eph M. Rohrer), who recently pleted 50 years’ teaching in tern Samoa, died on November L 954, aged 80 years. )rn at Lake Lucerne, Switzer ■> Brother Pamphilius entered Marist Brothers’ organisation 891 and 12 years later arrived samoa where he specialised in ung the lower grades, afilio,” as he was affectionately m m Western Samoa, refused retire and worked with his mts until the day of his death, funeral ceremony at the Apia edral was attended by the Jst number of mourners ever m the territory.

Mr. L. Thomas

Mr. Leonard Thomas, of the BSIP, died in Sydney on November 29. He was 50.

He is survived by his wife.

Mrs. Emmaline Maclean

The death occurred at Namanula Hospital, Rabaul, New Guinea, on January 3, of Mrs. Emmaline Wild Maclean. She had been in ill-health for some time.

Mrs. Maclean was the widow of Charles Hectpr Roderick Maclean, who lost his life when the Japanese ship Montevideo Maru was lost while taking civilian internees to Japan in 1942.

The Macleans went to Rabaul, where Mr. Maclean was shipping manager for W. R. Carpenter and Company, in the early 20’s.

They had four sons, lan, Alistair, Colin and Donald, all of whom were well-known in the Territory. lan, who was a dentist in Rabaul be fore the war, was also lost on the Montevideo Maru; Alistair, who had planting interests, died in the Terri tory after the war. Donald has planting interests in the Bainings; and Colin, until recently, was Dis trict Commissioner, Bougainville.

He resigned from the service a few months ago and now intends to plant-up a cocoa plantation in the Bainings.

Mrs. Maclean loved New Guinea and in spite of advancing years, re turned to the Territory after the war and had spent a great deal of time there, mostly with Mr. Colin Maclean. She was an enthusiastic member of the New Guinea Women’s Club of Sydney.

Mr. T. C. Phillips

Mr. T. C. Phillips, Commissioner of Crown Lands in Western Samoa, died there suddenly on January 6.

Mr. Phillips commenced a three year term as Commissioner last year.

Mrs. M. E. Goss

The death occurred in the Con cord Repatriation Hospital, Sydney, on January 5, of Mrs. Mary Eliza beth Goss, well-known resident of Papua-New Guinea. She was 58.

Mrs. Goss went to New Guinea first as a nursing sister at Namanula Hospital. She married Mr. “Tommie”

Goss, of Toma Plantation, in 1934.

About a year before the Japanese invasion, she returned to nursing at the Rabaul hospital and with other nurses remained in the Territory when European women were evacu ated. She was taken prisoner by the Japanese and subsequently spent 3 years in Japan as a POW.

When she was released, she joined the staff of a Sydney school for two years and then returned to nursing in the Territory where she remained until her last illness.

Vilai Tupou

The accidental death occurred in Nukualofa, Tonga, on December 14, of Vilai Tupou, half brother of Queen Salote of Tonga.

Vila! was electrocuted when he went to the aid of a young female relative (also killed) who had come in contact with a live wire that was connected to a radio aerial.

He was 56 years of age and had held the post of Commandant of the Royal Guards and Aide-de- Camp to Queen Salote since 1923.

Vilai is survived by his widow and 7 children.