Deaths Of Islands People

Mr. F. W. Hennings Frederick William Hennings, for merly of Suva, who died in Sydney recently at the age of 72, was the elder son of Charles Hennings, one of the five Hennings brothers who were prominent citizens in Fiji dur ing the latter half of the 19th century.

He joined the Union Steam Ship Co. on leaving school in 1907 and served as assistant purser and purser on some of the old inter-island pas senger ships.

In 1914 he returned to Fiji as manager of The Fiji Times and one of his prized possessions was an edition of that paper printed on fine white tapa. He later transferred to the Agriculture Department, travel ling extensively among the islands as well as into the interior of the larger ones.

He saw service overseas in World War I with the 3rd Fijian Contin gent, and on his return, joined Walter Horne and Co. in Suva. However, ill-health forced him to leave Fiji in 1931 and he went into business on his own in Sydney.

In 1937, he was appointed official representative for the Fiji Publicity Board in Sydney. Many of the old publicity photographs illus trating calendars and literature on Fiji were Mr. Hennings’ work.

Mr. Hennings had a wide circle of friends among former Fiji residents living in Sydney and, privately, al ways promoted anything ‘Fijian’. His impish sense of humour showed it self in his many stories from every phase of his Islands’ life, but, un fortunately, he wrote down only a very few of them and so another store of colour from the ‘old days’ was lost.

He is survived by his son, Grant, of Auckland.

Mr. A. E. Pearce Mr. A. E. (Billy) Pearce, who lived in Fiji for more than 50 years and who was one of Suva’s most prominent businessmen, died at Suva on November 1 at the age of 81.

He was born at Clunes, Victoria, and after working on the goldfields of Victoria and Western Australia as a bookkeeper and commercial traveller, he went to Fiji in 1909 to join Henry Marks and Co. (now Morris Hed strom Ltd.).

Later he set up in business on his own as an accountant and general merchant, but he found the competi tion from the bigger firms too severe and he went back to Marks.

Eventually Mr. Pearce branched out again, joining the shipping firm of Williams and Gosling Ltd. In the middle 1920’s he started the firm of Pearce and Co., which is now a lead ing manufacturers’ agent. He was joined in this venture by Mr. L.

Lawlor, and later by Mr. L. C.

Bentley.

The partnership was dissolved in 1948, and Mr. Pearce, and his nephew, Mr. L. R. Martin, started on their own as public accountants, and taking with them Fiji Hotels, which comprised McDonald’s Hotel and the Hotel Metropole, both at Suva.

Mr. Pearce was actively connected with the Chinese community as a business adviser and was sometimes referred to as the “unofficial Chinese Consul”.

With Mr. Martin he raced several horses in New Zealand and Australia.

He always took an active interest in the welfare of old people, and some years ago offered his house at Toorak as a replacement for the Cot tage Home. He gave this property, two other houses and three acres of land to the Cottage Home Commit tee.

But as the inmates of the Cottage Home preferred to be closer to Suva Mr. Pearce bought back his gift at more than the value placed on it, and the money raised was used to build the Pearce Home, almost in the heart of the city.

He was the youngest and last sur vivor of his family. His wife died several years ago.

Theodore von Hein “Tolala” writes: I recently received news from Germany of the passing of one of New Guinea’s old-timers.

There may be a few Territorians who will remember him; he was a popu lar identity before World War I. He is Theodore von Hein, one of Hern sheim and Co.’s oldest representatives and for 10 years, prior to expropri ation, the firm’s manager for the Kavieng district.

He was 77 when he died.

After repatriation to Germany in 1921 he had his own flourishing business in Hamburg and was for some years chairman of the New Guinea Club there —a popular rendezvous for all ex-New Guinea residents. He leaves a widow, Sydney-born Mary von Hein (nee Erhard) and a daughter, Marina, who was married in Sydney a few months ago.

If my memory serves me right Mary Erhard has a sister who mar ried Eric Monkton when he used to live down Faisi way (BSI), about 1915, growing coconuts and shipping timber.

Dr. A. J. Hibell Dr. A. J. Hibell, the Fiji Assistant Director of Medical Services, col lapsed and died while working in his office on November 1. He was 42.

Dr. Hibell joined the Colonial Ser vice in 1954, and before taking up his present post in January this year, had served at Labasa and Lautoka.

He served in the RAF in World War 11, and was taken prisoner.

During the South Pacific Games in September he was medical officer for the various villages.

Dr. Hibell is survived by his widow, and a young son and daughter, who are at school in Eng land.

Dr. Edward Ellison Dr. Edward Pohau Ellison, QBE, died at Napier, New Zealand, on November 9, after a lifetime of service to Polynesians in New Zealand and its island territories.

From 1919 to 1923 he was Resi dent Medical Officer and Deputy Resident Commissioner of Niue Island. Between 1923 and 1925 he was Resident Medical Officer of the Chatham Islands, which entailed also acting as magistrate, sheriff and coroner.

From 1926 to 1927 and from 1931 to his retirement in 1946 he was Chief Medical Officer and Deputy

The late Mr. Pearce hands the keys of the Pearce Home in Suva to Lady Mad docks at the opening in March, 1961.

Mr. Pearce gave the money to build this home for old people.

Resident Commissioner of the Cook Islands.

During the latter term he founded he Cook Islands Child Welfare As sociation which, with help from the jovernment, has built 30 clinics on Rarotonga and branch associations on he outer islands.

From 1927 to 1930 Dr. Ellison was Director of the Division of Maori ■lygiene of the New Zealand Health Department.

At a tangi (Maori mourning cere nony) held at Waiohiki on Novem )er 12 the Department of Maori Affairs was represented by its Sec etary, Mr. I. M. McEwen, who is ilso Secretary for Island Territories, dr. M. L. Hegan, Acting Assistant lecretary for Island Territories, also ittended.

Mr. C. C. Chalmers Mr. Charles Clive Chalmers, a ormer Fiji barrister and solicitor, lied in hospital in Auckland on November 7 at the age of 76. He /as born at Levuka.

Mr. Chalmers, after education in 7 iji and New Zealand, set up in iractice at Lautoka, but two years ater he entered a legal firm at Auckland, before entering into iractice on his own account in that ity. While practising at Auckland e made several trips to Fiji to appear i court cases.

He was the brother of the ontroversial Mr. N. S. (“Nat”) 'halmers, who left Fiji some time go to live at Auckland.

Captain W. F. D. Hay Captain W. F. D. Hay, formerly f Fiji, died at Auckland in October fter a short illness. He went to Fiji 'ora England and worked for Burns hilp (SS) Co. Ltd. before joining le PWD marine section.

He was master of the old Degei nd did much beaconing work in Fiji r aters. He was master of that ship 'hen it grounded on a reef at Komo, au, about 30 years ago.

Captain Hay served in the mer hant navy in World War 1 and in the iji Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve i World War 11.

He left Fiji some years ago to live i New Zealand.

Mr. Keith Cecil Hodgson The death occurred in Lae General [ospital early in November of Mr. .eith Cecil Hodgson, a well-known /au man, who was managing director f O. P. Lempriere for many years, [e was 70.

Mr. Hodgson left a widow, a son Denis) and a daughter (Mrs. Derek [orrell, of Lae).