Death Of J. A. Johnston[?]

Of The Solomons

The death in the Heidelb Military Hospital, Melbourne, of I J. A. Johnstone, MBE, removes fr the scene one of the most respec and popular old hands of the Bril Solomons.

Johnno” Johnstone Was

member of the pre-war gc mining syndicate known as the Sil Six. It was a good name—l Johnstone was never a man to U He was born in England and w to the Solomons about 1922, al serving in World War I as an origi Anzac.

He was one of a party that visi Malaita to restore order af murders of Europeans in 1925, a became interested in various busin enterprises.

He ran a butchery at Tulagi ; many years before prospecting : gold on Guadalcanal with the Sil< Six.

With the outbreak of war he help evacuate Chinese and goods fn Tulagi and later escaped to the N Hebrides. He became a major the BSIP Labour Corps. In 19 he represented the BSIP at t Coronation of Queen Elizabeth.

The Silent Six after the war 1 came the Balasuna Syndicate, owr of interesting lodes on Gold Rid] Guadalcanal, and Mr. Johnsto spent a lot of time trying to inten overseas companies. Frequently made journeys into the area.

He worked in recent years wi Mendana Enterprises Pty. Ltd. a his old friend K. H. Dalrymple Hj

The late J. A. Johnstone, as Brett Hi saw him.