People

Deaths of Islands People

Mr. Douglas Lightbody

Mr. Douglas Lightbody, of the Papua-New Guinea Department of Education, collapsed and died dur ing the Queen’s Birthday Red Cross Ball at Port Moresby.

Mr. Lightbody was in charge of the administration of native schools in the Territory.

The Acting Director of Education (Mr. Roscoe) described his death as a most serious loss to the Depart ment.

The Most Reverend John

Baptist Dieter, Sm

The Most Reverend John Baptist Dieter, Vicar Apostolic of Navigators Islands, died in Auckland on June 28 after a comparatively short ill ness.

Bishop Dieter was consecrated only in May, 1954, the first Catholic Bishop ever to be consecrated in the Islands. Most of Samoa’s 22,000 Catholics took part in the week-long ceremonies and celebra tions.

The Bishop went to Samoa in 1937 from Germany. He was an accomplished orator in the Samoan language and was greatly respected by the Samoan people.

He succeeded the Most Reverend Joseph Darnand, SM, who retired through old age but who is still living in Western Samoa, in retire ment.

Madame Louise Goupil

Madame Louise Goupil died at Papeete in May, aged 76 years.

Madame Goupil was a member of one of Tahiti’s best known families.

Formerly wife of the late Dr.

Fernand Cassiau, from whom she was later separated, Madame Goupil was the mother of Dr. Pierre Cassiau, MD, Privy Councillor and head of the Health Service of French Oceania.

Her former husband was a one time mayor of Papeete and her father was a leading Papeete at-i torney.

Mr. Charles O’Connor

The death occurred recently of Mr. Charles O’Connor, at Vallejo, California. As a partner of the old-i established firm of O’Connor, Harri son & Co. who operated the vesseß Beulah down through the Eas f ern Pacific Is l ands earlier this centuryj Mr. O’Connor was well known in Polynesian ports.

Mrs. Kathleen Chalmers

At the age of 92, Mrs. Kathleed Esther Chalmers died in June atj Auckland, where she had lived foil 15 years.

Mrs. Chalmers went to Fiji atj the age of 13 with her brother, MrJ Rex de Cairos Rego, who was a

bank clerk at Levuka. When she was 18 she married Mr. C. A.

Chalmers and lived at the Penang sugar-mill, Rakiraki, which he, with his father and uncle, had estab lished. Subsequently they lived at Fort Carnarvon, Savusavu, Ba and Levuka.

Mr. M. K. Naidu

Mr. M. K. Naidu, sub-accountant and postmaster at Ba, Fiji, died on board the liner Orion shortly before the ship arrived at Colombo in June. Mr. Naidu, with his wife, was on his way to India on eight months’ vacation leave.

Mr. C. S. St Julian

Mr. Charles Swann St Julian, who died at Suva on June 28, was born in Fiji in 1889. His father was Colonial Postmaster for many years, and his grandfather was Chief Justice under the Cakobau Govern ment before Cession.

Mr. St. Julian, who was educated at Levuka and Suva, became a clerk ;n the Government service in 1929. In L 941, he was a Collector of Customs and in 1943 Assistant Controller of Customs. From 1946 until he re ;ired in 1948 he acted as Controller.

Mter retirement he became secre ary of the Fiji Copra Board. He eceived the Imperial Service Order n 1949.

Mr. St Julian is survived by his vife (formerly Miss E. R. Webster, if Auckland) and a son, Mr. J. W. >t. Julian, of Suva.

M. Frederick Gadiot

M. Frederick Gadiot, Chief of the District of Pirae, Tahiti, died on une 4, aged 69 years, following a hort illness.

M. Jean Lecail

M. Jean Lecail, one of Tahiti’s est known shipbuilders, died here on June 5 after a long illness, le underwent an operation in Aus tria last year. He was aged 64.