Deaths Of Islands People

Pastor Wabealo

The death occurred in New Caledonia in February of a leading member of the New Caledonian Protestant church—Pastor Wabealo at the age of 76.

Pastor Wabealo was one of the native teachers organised by the famous missionary, Maurice Leen hardt, and was one of the men who took over the affairs of the church when, for political reasons. British Protestant missionaries had to re tire from the Loyalty Islands at the beginning of the century.

Pastor Wabealo was for many years pastor of the native church in Noumea and played an immense role in helping the New Caledonian native people to progress. He was greatly respected for his knowledge and advice, and was a true friend of France.

He was buried in his tribal ground of Bako, northern New Caledonia, the heads of both the native and European branches of the Protestant church presiding at the burial ser vice. Among those who attended was a representative of the High Commissioner, and several Govern ment Ministers.

Capt. F. J. Williams

A well-known and highly re spected resident of Western Samoa, Captain F. J. Williams, died on Feb ruary 21, after a long and lingering illness, aged 69.

Captain Williams was born in New York and went to sea as a boy. During World War I he was mate of the four-mast schooner Manilla, of San Francisco, which was captured by the German raider Seeadler, under the command of Count von Luckner, in the South Pacific.

Captain Williams and the crew of the Manilla and two other American schooners were kept prisoners on Mopelia, a small Tahitian island, and later escaped in an open boat to Pago Pago, American Samoa.

Captain Williams was master of the island schooner Manua at Pago Pago from 1919 to 1922 and later of another American vessel, the Ajax , trading in the Samoas, the Solomons and the Philippines.

Captain Williams went to Western Samoa to live in 1922 and became master of inter-island vessels. Be tween 1927 and 1940 he acted as manager of Burns Philp’s coconut plantation on Nassau Island, in the Cook Group, where he was able to give his children a sound education.

In 1940 he returned with his family to Apia and was appointed Marine Superintendent of Burns Philp (SS) at Apia.

He retired in 1958 because of ill health. He is survived by his wife

and 12 children, of whom seven live in New Zealand and five in Samoa..

In accordance with his own request.

Captain Williams was buried at sea off Apia in February.

Mr. F. G. Brooks Frederick Gordon Brooks, who spent more than 30 years in Fiji as a field officer for the CSR died in Sydney on March 8, following a motor accident. He was 50.

Mr. Brooks, who was born in Fiji, had been living in Sydney for the last two years, where he was em ployed at the CSR head office. He was on his way to attend a meeting of the Pacific Islands Society in Sydney in late February when he was struck by a car.

He was taken to hospital uncon scious and died without having re covered consciousness.

Mr. Brooks was a popular field officer, and well known as a sports man in Fiji. He was born at Labasa, but worked for the CSR mainly in Lautoka, Nadi and Sigatoka areas.

He was unmarried.

His parents, Mr. and Mrs.

Frederick Brooks, formerly of Fiji, and a sister, Bonnie, are all now living in Sydney.

Mr. Arthur H. Ferris

The death occurred in West Aus tralia on March 3 of Arthur H.

Ferris, a licenced minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for more than 50 years. He was 91.

Commencing in 1911, he spent about 25 years serving on Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands. His older children received their education on Norfolk. In 1918, Mr. Ferris, with the help of his sons and the lay men of Norfolk, completed the pre sent Seventh-day Adventist church there.

His sons devoted many years to missionary service in Fiji, the New Hebrides, the Solomons and Pit cairn.

The eldest, Pastor N. A. Ferris, MBE, lost his life in a tragic acci dent while superintendent of the Mona Mona Mission for aborigines in North Queensland two and a half years ago. Pastor D. A. Ferris is in West Australia, and Pastor W. G.

Ferris is president of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Mission Mrs. A. H. Ferris, who ably sup ported her husband in all his activ ities, died two years ago.

An earthquake reaching force 7 on the Mercalli scale was felt on Raoul Island, in the Kermadecs, be tween New Zealand and Fiji, in February. It was within about 500 miles of the Kermadecs.