Deaths Of Islands People

Sir Charles Marr Sir Charles Marr, who was a well known member of the Aus tralian Parliament and Ministry between the wars, and a former Minister for Territories, died in Sydney in October, aged 80. He was a handsome, amiable and enter prising man, who was highly popular in his political career. He gave distinguished service in World W ar ,l ; . and won the DSO and the Military Cross. He inaugurated the New Guinea Legislative Council in 1933.

Sir Charles’s son, Mr. Colin Marr, entered the New Guinea public ser vice in the ’Thirties, and held posi tions in the Agriculture Department and retired after World War II He was among the Australian officials who gave notable service in Papua and New Guinea during World War 11.

Mr. Malcolm Brodie

Mr. Malcolm Brodie died at Suva on November 5 at the age of 67.

Although his death was sudden, Mr Brodie had not been in good health for some years.

Mr. Brodie, an Australian, went to Suva in 1925 to become manager of the Hackshall’s (Sydney) Fiji branch of Pacific Biscuit Company.

He had joined Hackshall’s in Sydney early in the 1920’5.

Mr. Brodie became a director of Hackshall’s in February, 1931, and remained on the board till his death.

In June, 1930, at Suva, he formed Union Soaps Pty. Ltd., which operated in Rodwell Road, Suva, headquarters of Hackshall’s in Fiji.

Mr. Brodie, although based on Suva, did not confine his firm’s activities or interest to Fiji. Each year he visited other islands, and paid annual visits to NZ and Aus tralia.

He was a familiar figure in Suva and was a fearless speaker on many subjects affecting the commercial world. At the monthly meetings of the Suva Chamber of Commerce he was heard with respect, and he had the knack of reducing difficult debates to a few short words to adequately sum up the chamber’s view.

Mr. Brodie was an active bowler almost up to his death and could be relied on, when he was in Suva, to make a daily attendance at the club.

He presented to the sport of bowls in Fiji the Pineapple Cup which is now recognised as the symbol of singles bowls champion of the South Pacific.

Although his statements at Suva Chamber of Commerce meetings were often given wide publicity, Mr.

Brodie was never one to seek the limelight. Consequently many of his generous acts were almost unknown.

Only a few months ago Mr. Brodie

gave the material to build a cottage at Lami for the widow of a Fijian employee of many years’ standing.

The employee had served him faith fully for many years and Mr. Brodie remarked, when he handed the cottage keys to the widow, that ft was the least he could do.

But he carefully avoided photo graphers who went to Lami to record the ceremony and insisted that his name be not mentioned in connec tion with the matter.

That was only one of many prac tical gestures Mr. Brodie made to assist people. Many others no doubt will remain unrecorded.

Mr. Brodie, who was a bachelor, planned to retire in 1961 and live in Sydney.

Lady Rodwell

Lady Ethel Clarissa Rodwell, widow of a former Governor of Fiji, died at Hampton Court Palace, London, on October 1. Her husband, Sir Cecil Hunter Rodwell, was Gov ernor of the Colony from 1918 to 1925.

She was always a popular hostess at Government House, Suva, and was held in high regard by all races.

She was particularly interested in organisations connected with chil dren.

In her seven years in Fiji Lady Rodwell proved herself a good organiser and interested herself in Red Cross activities.

While her husband was Governor of Fiji plans were laid for the estab lishment of the Tailevu Returned Soldi e r s’ Settlement, and the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.

Lady Rodwell, for many years after her return to England, sent Christmas greetings to the people of Fiji through the Fiji Times.

The Rev. H. Bond James The Rev. H. Bond James, a veteran minister of the London Missionary Society, died at Auck land in September. He was stationed at Mangaia Island, Cooks, from 1902 to 1904, and at Rarotonga until 1913.

He was then transferred to the Ellice Islands, remaining there until 1917 when he was again appointed to Rarotonga. He was there until his retirement in 1934, when he settled in Auckland.

There, he had been in close touch with the Pacific Islanders Congrega tional Church until very recently.

Opetaia Dreketirua

Opetaia Dreketirua, one of the earliest Fijian teachers, among whose pupils were many Fijians later prominent in public affairs, died recently at the age of 84.

Opetaia was born at Raralevu, Namata, near Nausori, and was educated at Yanawai, Vanua Levu.

Among his teaching appointments

was one at the Lau Provinc School, Vatuloa, before World Wai He transferred from there to t Queen Victoria School, where he i mained till his retirement in 19: His pupils at the famous QVS i eluded Ratu Edward Cakobau, Rs Dr. J. A. R. Dovi, Ratu Tev] Uluilakeba (the present Tui Nay and father of Ratu K. K. T. Man Josef a Rigamoto (formerly Distr: Officer, Rotuma) and Ratu Geor Tuisewau, the Tui Dreketi (ai formerly Roko Tui, Ba).

To his pupils, no doubt becau of his fatherly influence, he w known as Na Qase (the Old Mar Opetaia was the translator of tl first Fijian booklet on hygiene ai public affairs.

Mrs. M. E. Corbett Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Corbett, daughter of early Fiji settlers di( at her home, the Nacalia Estate, 1 the Waimanu River, on October : at the age of 90. She was born i Savasavu on September 28, 181 four years before Cession.

Mrs. Corbett (nee Fenton, a we known name in the southern Vani Levu copra areas) married M Ernest Corbett, who predeceased he When she and her husband fin went to live at Nacalia there we a large number of European settlel in the Rewa and Waimanu Rive areas. Mrs. Corbett played a fu part in the social life among th planters.

Her only child was Mrs. R. I

We are indebted to Mrs. Molly Cresswell, now living in Paris with her daughter, for this photograph of the well known former planter of New Guinea, Mr. A. H. Cresswell.

Mr. Cresswell died suddenly at the Mayo Clinic in USA in September, after flying from Europe for a brain operation. (See Oct. “PIM”). Mrs.

Cresswell writes that her husband always dodged the camera, and very few photographs of him are in existence. This was taken a good many years ago, while he was wear ing the uniform of the AIF.

vne, of Nausori, and there are grand-children.

Mrs. I. Perry rs. Lily Perry, who died at the ie of Compassion, Suva, on Oc r 22, was a daughter of Mr. rles Thomas, of Levuka, and was well known throughout the ny. rs. Perry, who was 68, had lived ;orotogo, near Sigatoka for some s, and after her husband’s h, went to Suva to live with a r. >r husband, who served in the ; World War, was in the em of Morris Hedstrom Ltd. and been stationed at Sigatoka and ;oka.

Mr. John Taylor ’. John Taylor, a CSR company aeer at Nausori, Fiji, for many 3, died in the CWM Hospital l, on October 22, at the age of i Scot, Taylor left Aberdeen in to settle in New Zealand, but • a few months in the Dominion lined the CSR company in Fiji, i spent six months at Lautoka then transferred to Nausori. •e he remained for the rest of ;ervice with the company, a keen and skilful bowler he many competitions, among i the Pineapple Cup singles, re ised as the unofficial champion of the South Seas, i is survived by his widow and daughter (Mrs. I. S. Moore, of oka).

Mrs. Jainal Sherani *s. Jainal Sherani, mother of prominent Suva Muslims, Mr.

J. K. Sherani, barrister and itor, and Mr. S. M. K. Sherani, ransport company proprietor, at Suva on November 1 at the Df 64. ir husband, Mr. Din Mohammed n Sherani, died in 1934, and Sherani took over his interests. ; left a young family, all of n Mrs. Sherani started off well fe. »art from her two sons there three daughters, Mrs. Yakub (Nausori), Mrs. Abdul Mazid r a) and Mrs. Intaz Ali Khan r a). iere are also 28 grandchildren 20 great-grandchildren.

Mr. A. W. Seymour • • A. W. Seymour, who was nial Secretary in Fiji from 1927 935, died at Torquay, England, atly at the age of 79. iring his eight years’ service in he acted as Governor several s. ; went to Trinidad on transfer )35 and retired from the Colonial ice in 1938.