To New Company

[?]. F. S. Stewart [?] to Retire

[?]Le Of Lae Hotel

IE purchase of the Cecil Hotel —which is the only hotel in Lae, New Guinea —was corn ed in August (see PIM of July, e 27) —and the new owners, el Cecil Ltd., entered into session on September 1. has been stated in this journal elsewhere' that the hotel chain Lg organised in New Guinea is property of Morobe Hotels Ltd.

s is not so. •obe Hotels Ltd.

Hotel Cecil . are two dis c t companies ied by Hamac

dings (which

► owns other NG enter es.) [orobe Hotels own and rate G or ok a Wau hotels; John Comper, eral manager Morobe Hotels 1 i s already vi n g la n d red in Mark in Road, Lae, a new hotel ch will be built the company, other words, will eventu ha v e two sis. he original il Hotel was

t on the pre ; site, in the ’Thirties, by Mrs.

S. Stewart (then owner and lager of the Wau Hotel), and put her sister, Mrs. Baldie charge. That hotel was totally ;royed in the war. or two or three years, after the of the war, Mrs. Stewart con ted a hotel in a group of old time buildings in the Butibum i of Lae; and then she rebuilt the old site. There was con irable official opposition to her i. The Administration wished permanent re-building to be e in the new town of Lae, up on terrace behind the airfield, i. Stewart carried on with her ject, however; and the present il was opened in 1952. trs. Stewart plans a complete rement. She is one of the l-known pioneers of Papua and v Guinea. (Although not recog ;d as such by the Administra i. “I am distinguished as being only New Guinea pioneer who not receive a Coronation Medal,” says, with grim humour.)

Both of Mrs. Stewart’s daughters are married to well-known Territory residents. Her only son (by her first marriage), Flying-Officer Moresby Gofton, was killed in the Battle of Britain, 15 years ago.

She always has taken a keen interest in the public affairs of the Morobe District, and will be much missed.

Hotel Cecil Handed Over

AT a small cocktail party held in the Hotel Cecil, on Sep tember 1, Mrs. Flora Stewart (“Ma” as she is affectionately known throughout the Territory) officially handed over her beloved hotel to the General Manager of Hamac Holdings Ltd., Mr. John Comper.

Mr. Comper told the gathering that the main reason for the get together was the fact that Mrs, Stewart and the occasion warranted some honour. He said that only the other day he had inspected the site of the old AWAS barracks from where, after the war Mrs. Stewart had pioneered the long journey to to-day’s modern and attractive hotel. “It was something to be proud of,” said Mr. Comper, “and I hope that we as a company can do what Mrs. Stewart did as a person.”

Mrs. Stewart responded in characteristic form saying she was tired of hearing all the palaver about what she had done, and wished every success to the company and hoped that all her old friends and customers would continue to give the hotel their patronage.

In an interview with Mr. Comper, PI M's Lae correspondent was told that the new company, Hotel Cecil Ltd., intends making many small alterations to the hotel building, and anticipates that the hotel will become one of the biggest tourist

Mrs. Stewart hands over to Mr. Comper.

sis in the Territory, and twned for its service, le dining room and all catering ngements at the Hotel will be died by a qualified chef, Mr. ley Scrivens, MFCA, who was lerly a chef on overseas liners.

?. Stewart Celebrates

71St Birthday

ie largest private party ever in the Territory was given tfrs. Flora Stewart, in Stewart , Lae, on August 28, when over guests gathered to celebrate 71st birthday. r. A. J. Bretag summed up ral sentiment when he said: have no doubt that this torable occasion will live long tie memories of those who are .leged to be present, because it ss an important milestone in life of that most colourful and landing personality—Mrs. Flora r art—who this day is not only >rating her 71st birthday, but is also on the eve of trans ng the fruits of her life’s ir to new ownership after 30 s of uninterrupted and dis lished service to the life of community, ’ only the wealth of material id in the archives of her ory could be placed in the Is of an accomplished bio her, there would be unfolded y fascinating and illustrious s, not only of human, but Tical interest, covering over a century in the progress, lopment, and early pioneering of this Territory, ow well do I recall the rsities, tragedy, and sorrow h studded her life, and which her indomitable courage and dble spirit could have survived, with characteristic determina initiative and energy she ounted all obstacles and the late and well deserved success h has now been achieved was table. am sure it will be readily eded that with her volatile re, Mrs. Stewart was a worthy rsary for even the most intrepid nent, but beneath it all, it was ssible for her to conceal that tain of kindness, generosity and an understanding which was ys on call without restraint to ; who needed a helping hand, unrivalled sense of humour, inimitable gift of repartee, was difficult to match, and will ide many amusing anecdotes h will bear repetition by iteurs in the years to come, i paying this humble tribute grand old pioneer, permit me onclude by extending to Mrs. art on behalf of everyone pre very many happy returns of her day and every good wish for ig and prosperous future, with h I couple an assurance that ever she may be she will ys carry with her the respect, m and admiration of her

legion of friends throughout the Territory.”