Passengers Long Wait

To Land ot Apia

VERY bad weather forced the MV Matua to cruise up and down outside the reef for two days at Apia, Western Samoa, in the New Year. Matua arrived on December 31. late afternoon, and before her arrival the weather which had been fair during Christmas changed into a continuous succession of squalls, torrential rains and strong north westerly winds.

Owing to the rapid drop of the barometer, the Matua had to leave Apia harbour.

After two days, passengers and freezer cargo were landed but owing to the continuous rough seas, the Matua had to take part of the gen eral cargo back to New Zealand, and of the 14,000 cases of bananas ready for shipment, only 8,500 cases could be shipped.

The balance left behind were sold at Apia at the bargain price of 6d. a case.

H Mr. A. E. Beddows, of Suva, has retired after 40 years’ service with the Government of Fiji. Mr.

Beddows joined the service as a junior clerk in the Posts and Tele graphs Department and on his re tirement was Accountant, acting on a number of occasions as Assistant Postmaster-General. For a long period, including the difficult war years, he was Postmaster, Suva.

If Mr. Francis Faddy, a son of the late Mr. Frank Faddy, of Fiji (who was a member of the Fiji Contingent in World War I and gained the MC and Bar), has become a citizen of the United States. Naturalisation ceremonies were held in Lockwood, Ohio, on November 11, 1954, when he took the Oath of Allegiance to his new country. He was born in Suva, and went to the USA with his

mother, who has since marri* again, when he was 16. He is nc married and has a small son boi while he was serving in the t Army at Okinawa, If Mr. F, W. Smith, formerly Go ernment Printer, Fiji, and now Go ernment Printer in British Hondurs received the OBE in the New Ye; Honours.