[?]Slie Gill Of Gizo ...
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■SLIE GILL, of Gizo, in the Western Solo mons, has always led a very full life, no time for holidays and too busy to married. lot of his time and energy has gone into using good causes in the islands. He was in Melbourne in 1887, and was trained in electrician. After a spell at Chillagoe, h Queensland, he went to Ocean Island for old Phosphate Company, serving there under Albert Ellis. : ter 1\ years Les Gill went to Papua for ange, clearing and planting rubber at Aroa, nd Kanosia. From Papua he went to the mens, arriving at Gizo in 1911, and im ately was put to copra planting by his Later he went recruiting for them in the
ner "Enid", which took him round the er parts of the group. In 1913 he took and for himself in Vella Lavella, and ed it. After 15 years in the Solomons, had a holiday in Australia, about 1926. ring the Depression he was forced to go ig, and was able to buy Labete on Munda, later still Joroveto and Sangrana estates ella Lavella. For some time Gill had been ig for the "Bulletin" of Sydney; and was eminent member of the Solomon Islands ers' Association at Gizo. When they id the "Planters' Gazette" he became one ie editors, sharing the board with Mac n, and McKerlie. This newspaper was sd for them in Australia, and demanded ns in land tenure, labour regulations, and institution of an advisory council. Two ons were sent to the King, and their aign was a complete success. his spare time Gill had been studying infancy, and is now a Fellow of the Aus n Society of Accountants, with 25 years' tership. ter a stretch of 14 years in the Solomons iut leave, except a change of occupation mes, Les was compulsorily evacuated from Sroup when the Japs were sweeping down ?42. >m Australia he managed to be sent back he Solomons as a Sergeant in the BSIP ice Force, but soon found himself attached ie American Forces, after being posted to and Noumea. Les went with the convoy captured the main positions in the Western nons. He was at the landing at Rendova, later, at his own island of Vella Lavella. eturned to the BSIP Forces as Lieutenant the Yanks left for Bougainville, and went iustralia when the War ended. 1947 he returned to the Solomons to
rebuild his wrecked properties and trading posts. He was responsible for the re-opening of Gizo as an overseas port. From 1950 till 1954, Leslie Francis Gill, MBE, FASA, was a member of the Advisory Council, but was forced to retire because of failing eyesight.
He has been in Australia for medical atten tion to his one good eye; the other was lost in an accident at Ocean Island about 1908.
Gill had a close friend and neighbour in the Rev. J. F. Goldie, who founded the Methodist Mission in the Solomons and ran it from 1902 till 1952. It was said that the Gizo district had a trinity of G's, "Gill, God and Goldie".
He has been on equally friendly terms with his fellow men in the Western Solomons, including vagabonds and sailors, and has been a valuable influence for good in the group for nearly 45
years.-