[?]pua Farewells

Judge RT. Gore

m a Port Moresby Correspondent

/hen April ended, Mr. Justice 3h T. Gore, of Papua and i Guinea, completed 38 years’ ice in the Territory’s judi y; and in the following week md his wife left for the home :h they have prepared in :hport, South Queensland, for : retirement.

OBABLY no one in the history of these Territories earned more d in public activities, and more mal love in their associations both Europeans and natives, Judge and Mrs. Gore. A dentious devotion to duty in all s seems to have been the main g of the judge’s long career, ere was a long round of public private farewells, in which

tributes were paid to the ser vices and qual ities of the two old Territori ans, and valu ab 1 e presents given.

In a farewell ceremony in the Supreme Court, Judge Gore brought for ward his old and devoted Papuan inter

prefer, Kabua ), who has been with Judge for 38 of the 60 years he has d the Administration. Kabua’s Kora Kabua, has been a Court >reter for 20 years. hese are good men,” said the as he told of their loyalties.

Kabua openly wept, ige Gore always has been a i friend of the natives. On the day morning before he left, he around to old Hanuabada e, with his capacious pockets )f black stick tobacco and other ients —as he has done every tmas Eve for years past—and his last goodbyes. One was left tie doubt about the love of the ‘apuans for “the Old Judge”.

'haps the most marked tribute to Judge Gore occurred on c Day. Judge Gore served in

World War I, and among the veterans he is known as “Gunner Gore”. This 1962 march in Port Moresby was one of the biggest in many years—the ex-servicemen came from everywhere to show their respect for their departing comrade.

Again and again, at these functions, Judge Gore tried to tell his friends how he felt about this severance of happy official and personal relations, built up in 38 years; but words usually failed him.

Long radiograms conveying thanks

and good wishes from the Prime Minister and Minister for Territories were read out. The Territorians were not entirely impressed with these, “Why is this fine old man leaving without the decoration he has earned in all those years of distinguished service?” was their comment. “The politicians hand out knighthoods to all sorts of clots—but Ralph Gore gets nothing worth mentioning.”

However, so far as Papua is con cerned, Ralph Gore departs as a knight in shining armour.

[?]udge Gore.