Deaths Of Islands People

Rongomatane Ariki

igomatane Maka Kea Ariki, itary chief of Atiu Island in Dook Group, died at Avarua, onga, on February 15 after an 3 of some months, was born in 1886 and became fiber of the Cook Islands Ad tration in May, 1914. He started ireer as a police constable and Interpreter at Atiu, later be- Clerk of the Court and Official ireter, and was a member of >land Council for many years, attended several meetings of >ok Islands Legislative Council, n 1950 represented the Cook is at the South Pacific Con e held at Suva, gomatane had been chosen • as one of the Cook Islands tes to this year’s SPC confer - His place as a delegate will ken by his successor, Parua gomatane Ariki was a direct dant of the powerful Atiu war )f the same name who was itely won over to Christianity 7 by the Rev. John Williams ive Williams the bearing that the discovery of Rarotonga, s survived by four of his nine :n, his wife (also named Parua having died in 1953.

Mrs. Ellen Pitt

death occurred in a private il in Melbourne, on March 8, s. Ellen Pitt, owner of the i Hotel, Goroka, New Guinea, Territorian of long residence.

Pitt had gone to Melbourne operation. This was successful 5 later suffered a heart attack /hlch she died.

Pitt went to New Guinea 10 years ago with her husband, Pitt, who was ADO Madang xe died there a few years ago.

Pitt started a guest-house in g after the war and filled commodation gap there for ;rs until the Madang hotel ilt. then moved to Goroka and guest house there; the guest

that e at at nrst be flfled Mrs Mrs. Pitt was not a hard-headed business w 9 m an—she left that part of her business to someone else, or simply neglected to attend to it at all. Her province was in making everyone feel that they were her hSJSS!? S tS f and hl f P delicious food fiom—in the early days anyway—most inadequate sup plies and with primitive equipment.

She wi 11 be remembered by hundreds of Temtonans who met hei privately oi who passed through her various establishments, as a woman of great kindness and charm. a/ttdo tsarfi t opfuapt ■rtpt t

F Lockhart Bell

The death has occurred, at 17 Chorley Avenue, Cheltenham, Syd- £ e y> , or i January 28, 1956, of Mrs.

Isabel Caroline Lockhart Bell, aged 84 - , She was the widow of the late William Lockhart Bell, one of the

early settlers in the New Hebrides.

They were married in Vila in 1898.

Mrs. Bell is survived by her sister, Miss Eva Kinsey; four daughters who were born in the Hebrides— Kathleen (Mrs. Anderson); Doris (Mrs. Ballance); Thelma (Mrs.

Keegan); and Joyce (Mrs. Kinsey); and by four grand-children and one great-grand-daughter.

Mrs. Vera Pocock

Mrs. George Pocock, formerly Miss Vera Straite, of Suva, died in Auck land, NZ, in March after a long illness.

Mr. and Mrs. Pocock left Fiji for Auckland at the end of 1955, when Mr. Pocock retired from the Public Works Department. They made their home at Auckland.

Mrs. Pocock was born in Fiji and educated at the Marist Convent, Suva. In 1932 she joined the staff of the Suva Telephone Exchange, where she remained until her marriage in 1946.

She is survived by her husband and a young daughter. (Next Page)

Jesse H. Buffum

Mr. Jesse H. Buffum, an American who travelled widely in the South Pacific between 1947 and 1953 gathering material and colour films for lecturing purposes, died in Massachusetts, USA, on February 20.

He was born in 1881 and became a newspaperman via a job as a printer. Early in the century he switched to the new medium —motion pictures—and became one of the first newsreel cameramen. He won an award for bravery during the “Mexican border incident’’ when Pancho Villa fought Calles.

Mr. Buffum had many technical and executive positions in motion picture business before he returned, in the 30’s, to newspaper work and public relations.

He is survived by his son, J.

Howard Buffum, Jr., who is also a newspaperman.

Mrs. J. S. Litchfield

The death occurred in Melbourne on March 12 of Mrs. Jessie Sinclair Litchfield, of Darwin, at the age of 72. Her son, Mr. Val Litchfield, is a‘member of the staff of Cable and Wireless Ltd., Suva.

Mrs. Litchfield had lived for many years in Darwin, and was one of the best known residents of the Territory’s capital. She owned and conducted the library in the town, was connected with one of the local newspapers, and had acted for a long time as Reuter correspondent there.

Mr. H. L. Gerhard

Mr. Herbert Laughton Gerrark JP, 77, died in his home at Gordo!

Street, Suva, recently. He was we known to the older members of tl community, and particularly to thoo connected with the banana tract and dairying.

He went to Fiji from LancashieJ England, about 50 years ago an worked for Mr. Humphrey Berkel© a well known Suva solicitor. Latcf he persuaded Mr. R. Crompton, , fellow townsman to go out to FiL where he bought Mr. Berkeley; practice.

Later, Mr. Gerrard took up lam near Vunidawa, where he gre' bananas and bought bananas f shipment.

He is survived by his wife;! daughter, Mrs. Molly Marlow: an a son Herbert, who lives in Sydnei

Mrs. G. Dick

The death occurred in Fiji < March 20 of Mrs. G. Dick at the a. of 70. Mrs. Dick was a Miss IsraE a sister of Mr. Claude Israel, ww known in Fiji commercial circM: and a niece of the late Sir Hem Marks.

She is survived by her husban: and two daughters, Mrs. C. L. Lam dale and Mrs. John Hills, of Em land.

Mr. Harold Koch

The death occurred in late Man at his plantation near Arawe, Nit Britain, of Mr. Harold Regina Koch.

He was a well-known Territorial a World War I veteran and I Military Cross winner.

He was buried at Kandrian, Tv with full military honours.

Mr. Tex Thomas

The death occurred in Sydney March 13 of Mr. E. J. Thomas, bettf known to old Morobe district Ten torians as Tex. He was 67.

He went to the Territory in ISJ and until the outbreak of the Pad war worked his leases on the Low Edie. He was president of t Morobe Miners’ Federation and the time of the dispute over leas in the 30’s, was a strong advocio of the rights of independent minei During the war years, he wasa staunch supporter of the Pac:;: Territories Association, which v formed by P-NG evacuees in S: ; ney to fight for their property a other rights in the Territory—rigs they appeared to be losing to Australian socialist government tl in power.

Mr. Thomas had lived at Kiru Cross since 1943.

He is survived by four childnl Peter, Judy (Mrs. John Atkins of Rabaul), Susan and Roger, former wife is now Mrs. J. Woo she lives in Sydney.