Deaths Of Islands People

Rge Smit H

, Mr - Wa J ter George Smith, a well known old member of the American colony m died at Arue on Fe A rua i' y aged 83 years, , Mr. kmith was born in New Zea fan * i > wiler ® 116 is survived by a brother and other relatives, but became a , n American citizen. He is believed to haye at one time been 2. n - e oditorial staff of a San Francisco newspaper, ..J? e r |4£f d 1° at about the Line of the Second War, where he a close fneß d of the American writer, the late James Norman Hall, in whose beach home at Arue he has resided since Hall’s death. . In the 1940’s there were two re tired Srniths in Tahiti. The other, dfed “ ArUe ” Smith ' aiea some years ago - davth csttvtpcjot'j qistp

Gavid Simpson, Snr.

.Mr. David Simpson, Snr., one of Fiji’s oldest identities, died in Suva on February 6.

The Simpson family has been associated with the Savusavu district of Vanua Levu for several generations.

A son of Mr. Matthew Simpson, who was one of the biggest copra

planters in the Colony during the last century, Mr. Simpson assumed responsibility for one of his father’s estates, “Belego”, after his father’s death.

Despite his youth he developed the estate, until it was shipping about 200 tons of copra a year. (“Belego” is now run by Mr. David Simpson, Jnr.).

Besides copra, Mr. Simpson also raised cattle and planted bananas.

The main market for his cattle was Levuka, in the days when it was a thriving township. He was also associated with the days when Fiji exported bananas to Australia.

The former Union Co. ship Navua used to load bananas at Savusavu for direct shipment to Sydney, and Mr. Simpson was one of the biggest shippers.

Like his father he was a keen boatbuilder and built several well known cutters which traded round the Group and as far as Tonga.

Among his larger vessels was the Tui Wailevu, which often carried cargo from Suva to Nukualofa.

Mr. Simpson received publicity in 1956 when be bought the mystery ship, Joyita for £2,425 at an auction sale in Suva.

She was still in his possession at the time of his death, and is used for trading between Suva and Vanua Levu ports.

Mr. Simpson left his wife and five sons—Douglas (Sydney) and Leonard (Australia); Laurie (Tuvamila Estate”, Vanua Levu), and David (“Belego Estate”). Two brothers, Gus and Albert also survive him, Sam and Walter hav ing died earlier. A sister, Mrs.

George Deighton, lives at East Hills, Sydney.

Sister M. Irenes

Two veteran nuns of the Sacred Heart Order died at Tarawa re cently.

The death occurred on November 1 of Sister M. Irenee, last survivor of the first group of nuns of this Order to land at Nonuiti in 1895.

Sister Irenee had served at vari ous stations in the Gilbert Islands Mission for 63 years without a break up to the time of her death.

Sister M. Felix

Sister M. Felix, who died at Tarawa on November 17, joined the Gilberts Mission in 1905 and taught at the Butaritari Girls’ Convent School up to 1941. She came origin ally from Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia.

J. Frank Sttmson

One of Tahiti’s best known Ameri can residents of long standing, Mr.

J Frank Stimson, died there last December. He had been ill for some time. <° Ter >

Mr. Stimson was in business in Papeete but he was also well known overseas for his studies of ancient Polynesian—especially Tuamotuan— religions. His work was published by the Bernice P. Bishop Museum of Honolulu, with which institution he had worked very closely over a long period of years.

Mr. Wilfred Wise

Mr. Wilfred Wise, Director of Public Works in Fiji for 17 years until his retirement in 1941, died at his home at Tamavua, Suva, on March 4, at the age of 73.

He had been ill for several months.

Probably no man in Fiji could be said to have left such a visible mark on his surroundings as Mr. Wise did. Some of Fiji’s most vital engineering works were all designed during Mr. Wise’s long term in office. These included the road around Viti Levu, wharf reclama tion at Suva, the Levuka wharf, the Rewa Bridge. Suva water supply and sewerage schemes. Government House, the Government Buildings, Suva.

As Director of Works, Mr. Wise was also a Fire Commissioner, Com missioner of Water Supplies and Commissioner of Roads.

Mr. Wise was a Yorkshireman, who studied engineering at London University, and was first appointed an assistant engineer in the PWD, Fiji, in 1921. In less than three years he had risen to be head of the department.

Mr. Wise could turn his mind, and hand, to anything, and his fearless Yorkshire intelligence would follow any line of thought to its con clusion.

In his retirement. Mr. Wise’s

heme was a centre of intellectual and artistic discussion. He executed beautiful water colours, studied philosophy and the history of re ligion and of human language.

Mr. Wise left a wife, Irene. A daughter of his first marriage lives in Ireland.

Mr. E. W. Hardwick

The death occurred suddenly in the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Vic toria, on February 6, of Mr. Ernest William Hardwick, well known in Port Moresby and Fiji.

Mr. Hardwick, with his wife, Marie, some years ago managed the Hotel Papua in Port Moresby. For the past few years they have been in Fiji, managing hotels in Northern Hotel’s chain and only recently re turned there after three months in the United States.

Mr. Hardwick’s death was caused by a cerebral haemorrhage.

He is survived by his wife, who is at present in Melbourne.

Mr. J. B. Mcadam

Mr. James Bannister McAdam, Director of Forests for P-NG, died in Queensland in February while on leave, at the age of 49. A tribute to his work is on page 45 of this issue.

In Port Moresby, the Adminis trator, Brigadier D. M. Cleland, said, “Mr. McAdam always gave his best and showed great courage and an abounding loyalty. He was a tireless worker, and the organisa tion of the forestry service in the Territory owes a tremendous lot to his ability, drive and foresight.”