Deaths Of Islands People

Mrs. A. E. McCoy A highly-respected Norfolk Islander, Mrs. Alice Elizabeth McCoy, died on Norfolk Island on August 8, in her 90th year. Mrs. McCoy was known to most people as “Aunt Liz”, and to older Norfolk Islanders and friends in Vila, New Hebrides, as Mrs. “Chinny”

McCoy. Her husband, Mr. Christian McCoy, who died some years ago, was known as “Chinny” McCoy.

Her parents were among the Pit cairn Islanders who came to Norfolk in 1856. She was the daughter of Pastor Alfred Nobbs, who was Nor folk’s first Seventh-day Adventist minister, and granddaughter of the Rev. George Hunn Nobbs, the Pit cairn pastor. On her mother’s side she was descended from Fletcher Christian.

Mrs. McCoy was born in an old convict-built stone house at Kingston then used as a surgery, and spent her early life on the island.

In 1913 she went to Vila, returning to Norfolk in 1928. She had eight children. Six of them died in Vila.

Despite her great age she lived an active life and was in good health until three months ago.

Mrs. McCoy is survived by her sons Jim and Eric, who live in Australia, and her sister, Mrs. Elsie Adams, of Norfolk Island.

Captain T. Biggar

Captain T. Biggar, a well-known personality in the Solomons, died on August 11 in Honiara. Captain Biggar brought the MV Gumleaf from Australia to the Solomons in 1950 for Guadalcanal Plantations Ltd., and then joined the Fairymead Sugar Company as master of the MV Makila. Later, he was master of Lever’s Pacific Plantations’ MV Cape Torrens. He joined the Marine De partment in 1961, and was master of the RCS Coral Princess until early this year.

Brother William Overkaemping The death occurred at Vunapope, New Britain, on August 18 of Rev.

Brother William Overkaemping, MSC, who devoted 55 years of his life to the Sacred Heart Mission on New Britain.

Brother Overkaemping, who was born in Germany in 1883, came to New Britain in 1910, when he was 27.

He was, by profession, a brick layer, and his qualities were soon recognised by his superiors. In due

course, he became plantation man ager, builder and architect.

After World War 11, during which the mission had been completely ruined, he drew up the plans to re build it, provided timber lists with details for the buildings, and trained natives to read blue-prints and erect buildings on their own.

Even after he turned 60, Brother Overkaemping steered his jeep to every station around Rabaul and Kokopo, supervising the buildings in progress.

His associates say that in his death, the mission has lost a great man and the natives, a friend, for the natives flocked to him on Saturdays asking for building plans and timber lists to build their own houses.

Brother Overkaemping had been ill in hospital for about a year, Mr. Yao Ting Chen The Chinese community in Tahiti was in mourning in July for the death of Mr. Yao Ting Chen, the first Chinese (Nationalist) Consul- General in Tahiti. He occupied the post from 1944 to 1957.

Mr. Yao died in Formosa on July 14, leaving a widow and five children.

He was a cultivated, warm-hearted diplomat, who did much to unify the Chinese in Tahiti and to look after their rights.

Born in Malaya in 1905, he served in the Chinese consulates in Austria and Johannesburg before being posted to Tahiti. He later served in Athens.

Mr. A. S. R. Macalister Mr. Archibald Scott Ritchie Macalister, of Suva, died at his home on August 23, after a series of heart attacks. He was 44.

After service in Europe in World War II in fighter aircraft, he went to Laucala Bay. On his demobolisa tion he went into business in Suva as an engineer. His premises near Suva wharf soon became known as “Mac’s Place” and developed into a sort of club where people could drop in for a bowl of yaqona and a yarn.

Mr. Macalister married Miss Patricia McCaig, who survives him.

He also leaves three daughters and a son.

Mr. H. 0. Williams Mr. Henry Oscar (“Okker”) Williams, a platelayer at the Lautoka sugar mill, died suddenly on August 15, aged 57.