Heaths Of Islands People

Mr,. F. K. Hooper

I Mr. Frederick Kay Hooper died 'last month at his Naidi Estate, [Savusavu, Fiji, at the age of 86. [ He was born in Essex, England, [and went to Fiji in 1899, where he secured employment with [Captain Robbie at the Wainunu tea estate.

I In 1903 Mr. Hooper acquired a icopra estate at Nadivakarua, and weight years later bought Naidi ■Estate. [ In recent years, because of ill 'health, he was confined to his home.

Mr. Hooper is survived by his widow, and one son and one daughter, both of whom live in Fiji.

Mr. H. Ledger

' Mr. Harry “Dad” Ledger, one of Fiji’s oldest First World War veterans, and a well known resident of the Colony, died in Suva on July 21 at the age of 80.

He was born in Camberwell, England, and later, with his family migrated to Australia. After some years in Sydney, Mr. Ledger moved to Fiji.

Mr. Ledger went to France with the second Fiji contigent, which, with other Fiji contingents, was attached to the King’s Royal Rifles.

After four years’ overseas service he returned to Fiji for demobilisa tion. Until about eight years ago

he ran a small plantation at Waikava, Vanua Levu, where ill health forced his retirement. He then went to live in Suva.

He acquired the nickname “Dad” because he was one of the oldest 19x4-18 war veterans in Fiji.

He was buried with full military honours. Many men who served with him in France attended his funeral.

Dr. R. F. De Boissiere

Dr. Raoul Ferdinand De Boissiere, who died from injuries suffered in a car accident in Auckland recently, was medical officer at Kadavu and Makogai, Fiji, for several years.

He was born in Trinidad, 77 years ago, and left the West Indies when he was 17 to study medicine at Edinburgh and Glasgow.

In addition to the medical posts he held on the two islands, he was also a magistrate.

After he had established the Leper Hospital on Makogai he was appointed senior medical officer at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Suva.

While he was in Fiji he wrote a number of medical books on tropical diseases for the Fiji Government.

On his retirement from the Colonial Service he went to live in New Zealand, setting up a practice in Hawke’s Bay, where he specialised in the treatment of tuberculosis.

Dr. De Boissiere is survived by his widow and two daughters.

Mr. J. Blacklock

Mr. Joseph Blacklock, who was well known in Fiji, died recently at Drummoyne, Sydney.

For many years he was in the employ of Morris Hedstrom Ltd.

He left Fiji three years ago to live in Sydney, where he was born.

He was a keen sportsman.

He is survived by his widow and three children.

Mr. W. G. Bagnall

Mr. William Garfield Bagnall, who died at a private hospital in Auckland on July 17 at the age of 74, worked in private and Govern ment positions in Tonga for many years.

He went to Tonga when only a young man as purser on the schooner Ysabel. On his arrival at Nukualofa he took up a position with the firm of Vines Utting and Purston, which was then trading in Tonga.

His first appointment in the service of the Government of Tonga was in the Postal Depart ment.

Mr. Bagnall’s abilities were noted and he soon rose to become Minister for Finance.

On his retirement he went to live

in Auckland.

He married Miss L. Riechelmann, of Nukualofa, who survives him funer al service boys from the Queen’s Home, Auckland, sang a hymn in Tongan at the graveside.

The service was conducted by the Rev. Mr. Harkness, who was in Tonga more than 40 years ago.

Mrs. I. E. Luchinelli

Mrs. I. E. Luchinelli, formerly of Fiji, died suddenly at Croydon, Sydney, late in July at the age of 62.

On her arrival in Fiji in 1916 she entered the employ of Morris Hedstrom Ltd., at Levuka.

After her marriage to Mr. I.

Luchinelli, of the Fiji Police Force, she went to live at Navua.

In the early '2o’s she joined the Government service in Suva, and held a number of appointments in various departments, including one of private secretary to two Governors.

Shortly after the outbreak of war, Mrs. Luchinelli became a voluntary cable censor, and in 1941 was appointed to the staff of the Western Pacific High Commission.

In later years she held private secretarial appointments with two Governors, and in 1950 became a clerk in the Audit Department.

Shortly after she went to the Treasury.

Mrs. Luchinelli went to Australia early this year to live with a sister,

Archdeacon W. J. Hands

The Yen. Archdeacon William James Hands, who died at Levuka, Fiji, on July 6, had been associated with the Diocese of Polynesia since 1924.

He was born in Lancashire in 1884, and was ordained a deacon by the Bishop of Manchester in 1909, and a priest the next year.

Subsequently he offered for service in New Zealand, and he was in the Diocese of Wellington from 1912 to 1924.

Archdeacon Hands returned to

New Zealand in 1933 to beconu vicar of Avonside in Christchurch and remained there until 1946 when he again returned to Fiji ai Vicar-General of the Diocese.

He retired in 1951 and went t; live at Maravu, Korotogo.

It was not generally known thas he was responsible for building thi Parish Hall in Suva, a hall whicl has served many useful purpose over the years.

Rev. Mother Ursula

The Rev. Mother Ursula, forme Provincial of the Sisters of SI Joseph of Cluny in Oceania, die! at Tauranga, NZ, on July 16, a the age of 81.

Rev. Mother Ursula was bor in Tipperary, Ireland, and worke for about 30 years in India befor going to Fiji in 1932, where sir was stationed at St. Joseph Convent until 1940.

While in Fiji she devoted he work to Catholic schools in th Colony.

She went to NZ in 1940 to mafe new Foundations of the Orde: and remained in that country.

Captain Surtees Rothery

Captain Surtees Rothery, who die at a convalescent home in Sydne on August 2, had sailed with Burr Philp ships for between 40 and J years.

He was born in the Midlands, UI 73 years ago, and migrated to Auj tralia at an early age.

Before going to Burns Philp I was with the Union Steamsh Company for a few years.

He was always regarded as s expert in handling ships, and w an excellent seaman.

The first ship he commanded fl Burns Philp was the old Morina. and the last was the Malaita, \ which he sailed for the last tin in November, 1956.

Captain Rothery sailed on eve Islands route operated by BP’s, ai, also the Singapore and Manil Hongkong routes.

He is survived by his widow an five children.

Mrs. W. M. Gay

Mrs. W. M. Gay, who forme:; managed the Navua Hotel, P* l with her husband, and was latj matron at the Suva Girls’ Grammi School, died in the CWM Hospitt Suva, on July 9.

She first went to Fiji 20 yes; ago, and left after some years.

Two years ago she returned Fiji after having lived in Nt Zealand, England and Australia. .

While in England she held J senior appointment as a dietitr; at a famous London clinic.

She is survived by her husbas and two daughters.

Mr. A. B. Commins

Mr. Angus Berkeley Commit who played a leading role in t

jommunity life of Norfolk Island ii recent years, died in Sydney on Tune 15. He was 64.

He retired to Norfolk Is. after lervice with the Commercial Bank >f Sydney. [ Retirement from the business vorld gave him the change to ndulge in his love of the outdoors, le took up 40 acres of land on Norfolk Island, and soon estab ished a herd of Aberdeen Angus »eef cattle, and Australian Illawarra Jhorthorn dairy cattle. \ With the help of one of the slanders he completely rebuilt the louse on his land at Headstones, nd named it Springfield Park.

I Springfield Park soon became one f the show places of Norfolk, and ras always visited by White’s Air ourists from NZ.

He grew prize orchids and soon Btablished a market for them in FZ. He also specialised in

(ferberas.

IHe discovered a method of leaning the seed, for which there ras a keen demand in NZ.

Apart from his agricultural and orticultural pursuits he found ime to set himself up as an uctioneer, and conducted monthly lies. There was no other auctioneer n the island.

The famous petition to the jueen seeking some form of spresentative government was rafted by Mr. Commins. The etition did not get beyond the rovernor-General of Australia at lat time, but one result is believed ) be the recent offer of “local tovernment” to NI.

About two years ago Mr. bmmin’s interest in public affairs id him into a public brush with le Minister for Territories (Mr, aul Hasluck).

Mr. Hasluck had gone to the land to present a chair to the dvisory Council, of which Mr. ommins was a member.

Mr. Commins bluntly told the linister that the Islanders would refer a say in their own affairs, ither than referring them through n Administrator who could veto ay decision reached by the Council.

Mr. Commins served with the 3rd attalion, Ist AIF, and was ipatriated to Australia after he as wounded on Gallipoli.

Mrs. Ruby Commins is carrying a the Springfield Park activities, [r. Commins’ only son, Dr. Lloyd bmmins, is in practice in Padding m, Sydney.

Mr. Gordon Roberts, manager of ie Suva branch of the ANZ Bank, as been appointed assistant lanager of the Adelaide city branch f the bank in Australia. Mr. pberts went to Fiji in March, »55, and expects to leave in Bptember. His successor, Mr. E.

Povey, of Melbourne, was fpected to arrive in Suva on July

T The repair ship Vulcain, which was loaned to the French Navy for the campaign in Indo-China, will shortly be handed back to the

Americans in Manila. The Vulcain, formerly a LST, has been used as a repair ship in New Caledonian waters.