People
pp. 7-15 · Read in the full issue
Mr. H. L. R. Niall, popular District Commissioner of Morobe District, New Guinea, underwent a difficult operation in Sydney at end of August. The operation is reported to be successful and his complete recovery is now expected. Mr. Niall became ill in Lae, in July, and sub sequently was flown to hospital in Sydney. He was discharged in August, but subsequently underwent an X-ray examination and was ordered back to hospital where the operation was performed.
Mr. M. D. I. Gass arrived in Honiara, BSIP, on September 1 to assume duty as Chief Secretary of the Western Pacific High Com mission. Mr. Gass comes to the Pro tectorate after serving 13 years in Ghana and the Gold Coast, where he was first appointed an Assistant District Commissioner in 1939. Re turning to Ghana in 1945, after military service, he has more re cently been Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior. * * * A New Zealander, Mr. Mark Anthony is becoming a familiar figure in the Solomon Islands. Re sponsible for the delivery from New Zealand of the three Twomey vessels, donated by the New Zealand Leper Trust to the Melanesian, Methodist and Roman Catholic Missions in the Protectorate, Mr.
At Nukualofa, Tonga, in late August, the Governor of Fiji, Sir Ronald Garvey, presented Prince Tungi, Premier of Tonga, with the in signia of a Knight Commander (Honorary) of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. It was conferred on him by Queen Elizabeth. Occasion was the signing of a new Treaty of Friendship. —Rob Wright photo.
Anthony recently completed delivery of the second vessel, Ozama Twomey, for the Methodist Mission at Munda, Western Solomons.
The third vessel (for the Roman Catholic Mission) Mala Twomey, is expected to arrive in Honiara about the end of October. * * * Lutovia Bonifasio Pua, aged 20, a Samoan student at the Marist Brothers Juniorate at Tuakau, NZ, was commended by a Coroner at an inquest in September for his hero ism at a drowning fatality at Port Waikato on January 30.
Pua assisted two other students to safety and continued to search for 15-year-old Terence Anthony Whitehead, who, however, was drowned. The incident occurred dur ing a picnic by the students who are trainees for the religious life.
Rear-Admiral Toulouse Lautrec, Commanding French naval forces! in the Pacific, will shortly returni to France, his term of duty having' expired. He will be replaced by Rear-Admiral Evenou. The new' Admiral will arrive in Noumea by the September Tahitien.
Monseigneur Martin, Roman Catholic Bishop of New Caledonian has been nominated Chevalier oo the Legion of Honor. Monseigneirr Martin had, more than once, de e cimed this when offered him a;n a civil honor. However, this timtr it comes to him for his services ini me Resistance during the warn Monseigneur Martin was a member P 1 illustrious order of Buchen o waid for some time, having been de e
St. John's Church, Port Moresby, was choses fo r the recent marriage of Miss Joan Anderson of Brisbane, to Mr. Keith Braybon, of Sydneyy The best man and attendant, both Port Moresby residents, were old friends of the bridegroom who is also connected with Islands trad[?] through Braybon Bros. Pty., Ltd. The coup[?] will live in Sydney. —Papuan Prints[?]
ported to that celebrated reception house by the Gestapo. All New Caledonia joined in congratulating the missionary Bishop.
Another New Caledonian to be honoured recently was M. Jean Tran Ap. M. Tran Ap has been made a member of the Companions of the Liberation —which has a select membership of a few of the heroes of Free France. M. Tran Ap, was torn the eldest of a large Viet- Namese family, but he is now a naturalised French citizen and is New Caledonia’s most decorated soldier. His decorations include the Legion of Honour, Resistance Medal, Croix de Guerre and Medaille Militaire. He now lives in Paris and has been made a member of the Council of the Order of Liberation— the two Liberation awards being the result of a special decree made by General de Gaulle.
More and more P-NG Territorians are finding that a fascinating trip to the East is much more interest ing than spending their leave in southern capitals, and latest voyagers, Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Powell, of Lae, NG, W ho returned from Japan aboard MV Citos in August, had nothing but praise for the ports they visited. Mr. Powell said that, contrary to accepted ideas, he found hotels in Hongkong and Japan no nearer than first-class hotels in Australia. Shopping facilities and night life in most of these cities
Miss Lilna Tetuanui, of Tahiti, photographed at a Polynesian Association meeting in Sydney, with Association secretary Mrs. Irene Byron. —Tele-Photo.
Dancing at the Qantas Bail in Port Moresby in early August, two well-known Port Moresby people, Mrs. Jack Chatfield and Mr. R. Wright. —Papuan Prints.
were an attraction in themselves.
On top of this the traveller saw magnificent scenery, and enjoyed life on a vessel which made its leisurely way homewards via out of the way ports
Corporal James Litchfield, 21, isg attending an Australian Armyv officer’s cadet school at Portsea r , Victoria —the first representative ofl the Fiji Military Forces to do so. * * * Mr. John Stannage, formen associate of Sir Charles Kingsfordfc Smith and now manager of the Fijiti Broadcasting Commission, was? among the guests taking part in ae flight between Sydney and Christ church in September, to com memorate the 30th anniversary oft the first air crossing of the Tasmann by Smithy and Charles Ulm. Haiti Lichfield, who was navigator on the 3 first flight, and T. H. McWilliams,g i adio operator, were guests oft honour Mr, Stannage flew asj Smithy s radio man in the Southern."!
Cross on the first crossing of thßj Atlantic from London to New# York in 1930. * * * The stream of VlP’s who visitti Papua-New Guinea for the firs#? time appear to have one impressiomi m common—they are amazed at ther progress and activity throughout!
the Territory.
The latest “surprised” visitor was* the economic advisor to the Inter-i national Bank, Mr. Andrew Kamarck.
“I was amazed at what work waajs
Mr. Barry Combe, newly-appointed New Guinea manager of Concrete Industries (Aus tralia), Ltd., which will establish a factory at Six Mile, Port Moresby, in December for the manufacture of pre-cast concrete building materials and other products. Mr. Combe, formerly district manager for the company at Kembla Grange, NSW, will leave Sydney in October to supervise the erection of the new factory.
going on,” he said. “I could also see the tremendous problems con fronting the administration.” * ♦ * Mr. Jules Rey, well known Tahiti inventor, and the man who brought the first automobile and merry-go round to the Cook Islands in the 1920’5, returned to Rarotonga on a visit in August. Not much has been heard of Mr, Rey’s last invention, a machine for opening coconuts and extracting the flesh, since a battle over patent rights developed in the United States several years ago.
The machine had been demonstrated throughout the South Pacific and was going into production. * * * Mr, N. G. Jamieson, an annual visitor to the Papeete July Fete, re turned to Auckland in August aboard the Waitemata —in which he invariably travels.
Dr. R. G. Simmers, MSc., ScD (MIT), Assistant Director of the NZ Meteorological Service, was visiting Island stations in August.
Fiji-born Mr. R. G. Kermode, solicitor, and newly-elected Euro pean member for the North-Western Division seat in the Fiji Legislative Council, took his seat in the Coun cil in August. He had a marginal win over Mr. Mark White in a by election at Lautoka.
Mr. Kermode’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Kermode, who were making their first visit to Fiji for 13 years, saw their son installed.
Mr. Kermode, Snr., was formerly a Superintendent of Police in Fiji. * * ♦ The Orient liner Orsova, which berthed in Sydney from US, Sept. 5, was almost a BSIP special. No less
Cutting the cake after their marriage at the Roman Catholic Church, Port Moresby, in August, are Mr. and Mrs. W. Dolan. She was Miss W. Clarke. —Papuan Prints.
than five couples, one with a smal child, went on later to Honiara, anc from Honiara some went to othei parts of the Solomons. They wen Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Child, tion Government Training College Honiara; Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Pringle to King George VI School, Malaita Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Isaac, to sanu destination; Mr. and Mrs. Warrei (Mr. Warren going to the Geologica Survey Dept) ; and Mr. J. E. Randall of the WPHC, Honiara, and Mrs Randall.
New Caledonia has a new com mander of its Army forces. He i Colonel Raymond Appert, 54, a dis tinguished soldier ranking high i: the Legion d’Honneur, and a menu her of the Companions of the Lib: eration, thus a strong de Gaull man. He replaces Colonel Lansaro who recently returned to France. * * * Born in Sydney recently, Richar Phillipson Glover, first child of M:!
Ted Glover of South Pacific Pos\ and Mrs. Glover. All three returne: home to Port Moresby in early Sep tember.
Miss Lois Niall, daughter of Disi trict Commissioner and Mrs. Niah of Lae, New Guinea, seems to W carrying on where her father le:e off many years ago when he was < Patrol Officer (or an ADO), and leading patrols in Eastern Papuu
Photographed in Sydney in August, Mis Elizabeth Gibson, from Rotuma, who is doin a nursing course in Sydney, and Kitty Picke ing, of Suva. —Tele-Photo
Mr. U. Maggs, and the former Miss Charles, after their marriage at St. John Church of England, Port Moresby, in August —Papuan Printn
That is the way a newsagency story that was recenly published in Aus tralia, goes anyway. Miss Niall, a charming young woman and a graduate of Sydney University, is now engaged in native welfare work in the Administration. She was - making a round of native villages to co-ordinate the work in native women’s groups. * * * The beautiful new Anglican church in Apia, Western Samoa, wdll be consecrated on October 19 by the Bishop in Polynesia, the Right Rev.
Dr. L. S. Kempthorne, newly re turned from the Lambeth Confer ence. After that, the Chaplain in Samoa (and, incidentally, the church’s builder), the Rev. C. W.
Whonsbon-Aston, will leave Samoa, after 15 years’ service, and proceed to Fiji, as Archdeacon, to take command of the famous old church in Levuka, where he was stationed many years ago. It was Church builder Whonsbon-Aston who organ ised and directed the erection of the Anglican church in Lautoka, long before World War 11.
In Melbourne currently for a six months refresher course in child welfare, is Miss L. C. Ram-Samuj, of the Fiji Medical Department. She has visited Australia on several occasions, and completed her nurs ing training at Epworth Hospital, Melbourne, in 1940. ♦ * * Visiting Sydney in September was Mrs. Vincent Zigas, wife of Dr.
Zigas, of Kainantu, Eastern High lands, New Guinea, whose name has come to be associated with the peculiar native palsy of the Fore area called kuru or (by the press) Laughing Death. Dr. Zigas has spent the last three years studying this disease, which affects only this one New Guinea tribe, and is nearly always fatal. He is now in the United States carrying out further research and will return in November. Dr. and Mrs. Zigas have just completed a world tour, but Mrs. Zigas has returned to Sydney to be with their
Well-known Port Moresby sports couple, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Martin, had their new son, Darryl, christened at St. John's Church of England, in August. They have two other children. —Papuan Prints.
baby son while her husband com' pletes his work in Washington. Mrs Zigas is a Sydneysider. * * * Mr. Malcolm G. Smith returnee to Rabaul on the August Bulolc with his new bride, formerly Mis; Helen McCullagh. They were marriee at the Church of England, Wing ham, NSW, on July 12. * * * Miss Gael McFarlane, member o a well known family of Suva Fiji, received some encouraginj publicity from Melbourne news papers recently when she got a lead ing role in “Plaintiff in a Prett; Hat”, which opened at the Nationa Theatre on September 3. She lef Suva six months ago “determined t* get a part in a play”. At home sh was a foundation member of th Fiji Arts Club. Sister Rosemary i in Melbourne also, but she has n stage aspirations; she has a job ii an office.
Local history was made in tb British Solomon Islands Proteo: torate when Rosalyn Kevisi wa appointed to the Western Paciffi High Commission Secretariat, as trainee clerk. Miss Kevisi, of Kindri in the Western Solomons, is tb first Solomon Islands girl to ente; the Government service.
She has spent nine years s Kokengolo Methodist Mission schoco firstly as a student and later a a teacher. * * * A coming-of-age party in thf Auckland Town Hall on August S for Miss Tutai Malietoa, daughter of High Chief Malietoa of Westen Samoa, was attended by over 50( guests. * * * Mr. R. M. L. Gladney, who re*: signed from the post of Resident Agent, Aitutaki Island, last after a number of years there am in a similar position at Penrhyn, rei cently returned from vacation ii New Zealand to take up a positiODj in the clerical section of Coax Islands Medical Department.
Two Indian students from Suva, Messrs. Sa Ali Asgar and Michael Jiwan, photographed Sydney in August. —Tele-Phot
Passengers bound for the Cook Islands per September Maui Pomare from Auckland included Mr.
Roy Bain to audit the books of A. B. Donald & Co., Mrs. R. Taripo returning home to Rarotonga; Mr.
E. N. Davis, of NZ Meteorological Service to instruct observers in the use of a new radar installation at Rarotonga: Mr. Les Bailey, Clerk of the Court, returning from vacation; and Mr. David Murray of Social Development Department re turning from a Co-operatives con ference at Port Moresby.
: Once a flying Dutchman in the Dutch Naval Air Force, and now an Australian coffee planter, popular Marinus Zuydam has left Qantas, at Lae, NG, to till his own soil at Banz, NG.
Mr. Zuydam and wife Mary, have [extended invitations to friends to visit them at their plantation, [“especially when the coffee is ripe.”
Mr. Zuydam has flown more than a million air miles. * * * Mr. A. Shoebridge, Commissioner for Government Transport in NSW. left Sydney on September 10 for a round trip of P-NG on the Bulolo.
Mr Shoebridge said his trip would be “completely a holiday”. ♦ * * For the first time in its history, the national executive of the RSL in August visited New Guinea for a meeting. It was led by the Fed eral president, Sir George Holland, and included Queensland branch president Sir Raymond Huish, and president of the Australian Capital Territory branch, Mr. A. R. Cutler, a Victoria Cross winner. The un assuming manner of Mr. Cutler especially made an impression on Lae people, where the meeting was held. Sir Raymond was unlucky, however—he had his arm mauled Py a dog who was obviously no re specter of persons.
To Longoma and Jack Kanit showed real in terest in this motor mower, which they saw being assembled during a tour they made of the Victa mower factory in Sydney in August.
The two were among six New Britain Tolais who made a tour of Sydney industrial plants.
For story see Pacific Report.