Deaths Of Islands People

Dr. J. M. Hood The death occurred at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on September 8 of Dr. James Maitland (Mick) Hood, who took over Dr.

Radcliff-Taylor’s practice in Rabaul two or three years ago.

Dr. Hood, who was 47, was born in Scotland and served as a captain in the Royal Scots Greys during World War II in the Middle East and European theatres. He was in volved in the Wooden Horse escape from Stalag-Luft 111. He won the MID and Croix de Guerre avec Palmes.

Dr. Hood left a widow, Verna, two sons of a former marriage’

Peter. 18, and James, 16, a daughter Mariella, 7, by his wife Verna, and a step-daughter.

Mr. A. N. Reddy Mr. Adi Narayan Reddy, widely known throughout Fiji as Thatha, died at Labasa in September at the reputed age of 103.

Mr. Reddy went to Fiji under the indenture system and worked as sidar for the CSR Co.

He was responsible for building many schools and temples in Fiji.

Mrs. J. McCown Mrs. Jonnie McCown, widow of Mr. A. G. McCown, died at her home on Ovalau Island, Fiji, on September 5.

She was a daughter of a Texan judge, and married Mr. McCown in the early 1930’5.

She was an untiring worker for progress at Levuka.

Mr. J. S. Fahnestock The death occurred in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, USA, on August -7 of Mr. John Sheridan Fahnestock, who organised two notable scientific expeditions to the South Pacific before World War 11. He was 53.

Mr. Fahnestock sailed from New York on his first expedition in the 65 ft schooner Director on January 1, 19^5—soon after he had turned 21. The oldest of his six companions, who included his brother Bruce was 25.

In Tahiti, the expedition was joined by the Fahnestocks’ widowed mother. Mrs. Mary Sheridan Fahne stock, who subsequently wrote a book called I Ran Away To Sea At Fifty.

After leaving Tahiti, the expedition visited Samoa, Fiji, the New Hebrides, Solomons, and New Guinea, where numerous specimens were collected

for the American Museum of Natural History.

The Director expedition ended in Peking in 1937 at the time of the Japanese invasion, and in the following year, the Fahnestock brothers pub lished a book called Stars To Wind ward, describing their experiences.

In 1940, Sheridan Fahnestock organised a second South Seas ex pedition in the 137 ft schooner Director 11. It, too, sent back many valuable specimens to the American Museum of Natural History; but much other material was lost when Director II was wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef, near Gladstone Queensland, in October, 1940.

Before the United States entered World War 11, President Roosevelt sent Sheridan Fahnestock to the Dutch East Indies to ascertain how the people would withstand the ap proaching Japanese invasion.

In 1942, he was commissioned as a captain in the US Army, and he headed a small patrol craft that ferried supplies from Australia to New Guinea. His brother, Bruce, an Army lieutenant, was killed in New Guinea in October, 1942.

In 1944, Sheridan Fahnestock was chief of transport command for the invasion of the Philippines. He retired from the Army the following year as a lieutenant-colonel.

From 1946 to 1963, when ill health forced him to quit, Mr.

Fahnestock was publisher of a weekly newspaper in Maryland.

He leaves a widow, a son, and two daughters.

Mr. Russell Abel A member of a pioneer New Guinea mission family, Mr. Russell William Blair Abel, died on August 2 after becoming ill while on a patrol among the Amau people of the Abau hinterland of Papua. He was 60.

Mr. Abel, a missionary teacher, had his early education in the Terri tory, then at Sydney Church of England Grammar School and Peter house, Cambridge, where he gradua ted as Master of Arts. He began work in 1927 with Incorporated Kwato Extension Association, Papua, which was founded by his parents who arrived in what was then British New Guinea in 1890 and began Kwato in its present form in 1918.

Mr. Abel was the author of a biography of his father, Charles W.

Abel, of Kwato, and translator of

the New Testament into the 5 language, the vernacular of the V Bay area.

He leaves a widow, Sheila, three children.

Mrs. A. G. Smyth Mrs. Emily Richmond Sn formerly of Western Samoa, die Sydney on September 13 after a illness. She was 88.

Mrs. Smyth, widow of the Alfred George Smyth, was bon Scotland and lived on Thursday Is and at Levuka, Fiji, before goin Western Samoa with her husband Mr. Smyth, a trader, became a minent political figure during the ; troubles and was exiled from Wes Samoa for a period.

Mrs. Smyth is survived b} daughter, Emmie (Mrs. Chisholm Sambutan One of the last remaining i who worked for the German Adn stration in New Guinea died Rabaul at the beginning of ! tember.

He was a native of New Ireh Sambutan, whose age was estimi at 83.

After working for the Germ Sambutan joined the Austra Administration staff in 1914. joined the Customs and Ma; Department in Rabaul in 1921 worked there until he died.

Mr. David Kiely David Kiely, a 23-year-old 7 tralian journalist, died in Lae September 20 from burns recei when his house was gutted by two days earlier.

Mr. Kiely, a single man, of A bourne, was a member of the s of the New Guinea Times-Cour He was admitted to hospital v severe bums over most of his b after escaping from the burr house.

The cause of the fire has not b established.

Mrs. May Griffen Mrs. May Griffen, formerly IV May Turner, of Fiji, died sudde at Auckland on August 27, aged Her home at Birkenhead, Aui land, was a headquarters for stude and visitors from Fiji.

Her husband died about 20 ye; ago.

Mr. C. Rounds Mr, Charles Rounds, member o well-known Fiji family, died at Sii on August 29, aged 60. He v the son of the late Mi. Isaac Roum

Sir Owen Corrie ir Owen Cecil Kirkpatrick Corrie. ner Chief Justice of Fiji and ;f Judicial Commissioner, Western ific, was killed in a road accident ■ Ipswich, England, on August ir Owen, who lived at Bath, was Mr. S. H. Chance Ir. Sydney Howard Chance, a ed resident magistrate and former -known resident of Papua, died Brisbane on September 13. He 72.

Ir. Chance went to Rabaul after •Id War I for the Department of ds and Surveys, and in 1920 was Dinted District Officer for Manus. 922, he transferred to the Papuan ice and served on 11 Government ons and two police camps, fith Patrol Officer Clarence ley, Mr. Chance discovered /er Falls (450 ft) on the Mobi :r and was the first European to the Papuan five-toed pig. i World War I, Mr. Chance ed in France and Belgium; and /ord War 11, he was with Military fare, American Red Cross, lec ig on native matters and survival ropical products, etc. He was the or of Lau Hereva (I Talk), a det based on radio talks. [r. Chance was married twice, [eaves a widow Agnes, and a son ter and a daughter Lois by his wife.

Mrs. Isobel Crane rs. Isobel Crane, a former resi of Fiji, was killed in a land at Muriwai Beach, near kJand, on August 27. Her 18- -old daughter, Margaret Maria, also killed. rs. Crane’s husband, Mr. E. A. le, was principal of the Lelean lorial School from 1946 to 1953, i the family left Fiji for Tonga, r. Crane and a 15-year-old ;hter, Christine, were also buried ic landslide, but were rescued.

Mr. Hankar Singh r. Hankar Singh, who had a close ciation with equestrian sports in for upwards of half a century, in Suva on September 17, aged r. Singh went into the service of Governor of Fiji when he was 15, taught the families of several ernors to ride horses, e was an active member of the Suva Polo Club, and the Suva ng Club, and was a familiar e as clerk of course at race meet-