Deaths Of Islands People

Mr. E. W. Rowlands Mr. E. W. Rowlands, a pioneer gold prospector in New Guinea and the discoverer of the Kainantu gold field, died in Brisbane on December 27, aged 69.

After gaining mining experience in Queensland Mr. Rowlands went to New Guinea in 1927 to look for gold.

He found the Kainantu field in February, 1929, and mined there until 1948 except for a four-year break in the NGVR in the Markham River area.

Mr. Rowlands was one of the first Australians to penetrate the Highlands. He always worked by himself. About 1948 a fall of rock broke his leg and he returned to Brisbane until the leg healed. He mined at Wabag until 1960 when he retired because of ill-health.

Mr. Rowlands was unmarried. He left two sisters in Queensland.

Sister Marie Gerard Sister Marie Gerard, a Roman Catholic missionary who spent 60 years in the New Hebrides, died in Vila in December.

She arrived in the Condominium in 1907. Between 1928 and 1948 worked at the French hospital in Santo. She then moved to the Mont martre Roman Catholic Mission in Vila.

Mr. J. S. Rennie Mr. Jack Stevenson Rennie, a member of the Fiji Department of Agriculture for many years, died in Auckland on December 7, aged 64.

He was a keen sportsman, and excelled at cricket. As a soldier he reached the rank of major, and in the early months of World War II he was seconded to Tonga for mil itary duties.

He left Fiji to live in Auckland when he retired a few years ago.

Father Stephen Dargas

The death occurred at Vunapope, near Rabaul, in January of an out standing Roman Catholic priest, Father Stephen Dargas, who worked for 41 years in the territory. He was 68.

Father Dargas went to New Britain in 1924 shortly after the massacre of nine inhabitants of a mission station in the Bainings by hostile natives.

Father Dargas worked in the area despite dangers and almost single

handley established a new mission station at Kamanakamp.

Built like an ox and tremendously powerful, Father Dargas won the respect of primitive tribes by his courage and fortitude.

During the war he was a prisoner of the Japanese at Vunapore and later at Ramale.

His physique made him the target of much hostility, and the depriva tions and hardships of prison camp life undermined his health.

After the war he went to Anir Island, off the coast of east New Ireland, where he founded a mission station and worked for four years.

Two years ago he became the superior of the community at Ulamona.

Mr. A. A. Wright Mr. Arthur Alban Wright, an administrative officer in Fiji for many years, died in England on January 4, aged 80.

He went to Fiji in 1912 and left in 1936, when he was appointed Administrator of St. Vincent.

He served in many areas in the Colony, in a variety of posts.

Mr. Wright was also a member of the Executive and Legislative Councils.

Mr. H. Gow Mr. Harold Gow, an employee of Burns Philp (SS) Co. Ltd. for more than 50 years, died at Apia on January 13, aged 74.

He started as an assistant super cargo in the Induna in the GEIC, and when he retired he was manager of the company’s Apia branch.

He managed the Suva and Levuka branches of Burns Philp in the late 1930’s and in World War II Mr Gow married an American nurse, Miss Frances Rogers, who served in Fiji during World War 11.

He won the military medal while serving with the AIF in World War I, and was awarded the OBE in 1962.

Mr. George Burnett Mr. George (Jock) Burnett, chief engineer on the Burns Philp vessel Tulagi, died in Sydney on January 6 aged about 60.

The Tulagi had arrived in Sydney the previous day after a trip to the

Bsip.

Mr. Burnett, who was born in Scotland, left the Union Steam Ship Company in 1936 to join Burns Philp. Before the war he served as

second and third engineer on the Neptuna and the Merkur. During the War he was on the Macdhui (until she was sunk by the Japanese in Port Moresby) and chief engineer on the Morinda.

He switched to the Bulolo about 1948 and had been chief engineer of the Tulagi for the past eight years.

A former skipper of the Tulagi, Captain Frank Sadler, said in a tribute: “Jock was immensely popular with everybody on board, and had many friends throughout the islands.”

Mr. Burnett is survived by his wife, who lives in Sydney, and a married daughter, Margaret.

Mr. F. C. F. Nelson Mr. Frank Clemens Frederick Nelson, Western Samoa’s Minister of Works, Transport, Marine and Civil Aviation since 1957, collapsed and died in Apia on January 5. He was 49.

His death occurred as he was about to leave hospital after visiting a dentist.

Mr. Nelson was one of the best known and most popular politicians in Western Samoa.

His funeral, at the Roman Catholic Cathedral, Mulivai, was the biggest ever seen in Apia. All shops closed as a mark of respect.

Mr. Nelson was born in Apia in 1917 and educated at the Marist Brothers School and Sacred Heart College, Auckland.

He was employed by New Zealand Reparation Estates from 1947 to 1950 and was secretary of O. F. Nelson and Co. from 1950 to 1955.

He was elected to Parliament as a representative of Individual Voters in 1954 and three years later was made a member of the Executive Council with the same portfolios he held at the time of his death.

Mr. Nelson was keenly interested in sport. He was chairman of the Apia Rugby Union Management Committee; a foundation member and president of the Western Samoa Amateur Sports Federation; and he played an instrumental part, as Western Samoa’s representative at the 1959 South Pacific Conference in Rabaul, in recommending that the South Pacific Games be established.

Western Samoa’s Prime Minister Mataafa described him as “a hard working member of Cabinet, always prepared to do his best to serve his country and fellow men”.

“We have lost an honest and fearless leader, a model citizen, and a friend,” he added.

Archdeacon R. Hodgson Archdeacon Reginald Hodgson, who worked with the Malanesian Mission in the Solomons and New Hebrides from 1916 to 1924, died in New Zealand late last year.

He worked first in the Banks Islands and then at Siota before starting Pawa Boys’ School in the Solomons.

Rev. Roger Tempest

The Rev. Roger Tempest, who worked for the Melanesian Mission from 1917 to 1935, died in Suffolk, England, recently. Mr. Tempest was warden of the theological college at Siota, BSIP, from 1926 to 1935.

Mr. F. V. Dunstan Mr. Francis Vivian Dunstan, man ager of the Nausori branch of Morris Hedstrom Ltd. in Fiji for many years, and his wife, were killed in a motoring accident in South Australia on New Year’s Day.

Mr. Dunstan, who was 75, was well known among the commercial and farming community in the Rewa Valley.

Mr. and Mrs. Dunstan left Fiji several years ago, on Mr. Dunstan’s retirement.

Their son, Mr. Donald Dunstan, is South Australia’s Attorney-General.

Mr. R. N. Caldwell Mr. Robert Nixon Caldwell,, former Fiji District Commission and Deputy Secretary for Fiji Affairs, died in Suva on aged 78.

Mr. Caldwell, born in Fiji, worf for the USS Co. in Suva for see years before joining the Governmr in 1906.

In World War I he was a memi of the NZEF which occupt Western Samoa in 1914, and fn 1915 to 1919 he was a South Ws Borderer. He reached the rank major and was awarded the Militl Cross.

Mr. Caldwell and the late Ratu Lala Sukuna were credited with c: ceiving the idea of using the Fijis latent knowledge of bushcraft guerilla fighting and commando un during the Pacific War. Origins the intended role was defensive case the Japanese invaded Fiji.

But as this never materialised! sample party of Fijian guerillas w> sent to the American Command J the Solomons. They acquitted the selves so well that ultimately two ; battalions, a commando group s a dock company, saw service in Solomons campaign.

As a District Commissioner I Caldwell served in many parts of H After he retired in 1953 he joiii the boards of W. R. Carpenter j Co. (Fiji) Ltd. and two subsidian Suva Motors and Island Transp<( In 1959 he served for a term as chi man of the Transport Control Bos He was buried at sea with : military honours. He left a wid»l a son and two daughters.

Archdeacon A. E. Teall Archdeacon A. E, Teall, who t with the Melanesian Mission in New Hebrides and Solomons fn 1921 to 1959, died in Wales I October.

He began as a district priest, t then headmaster of Vureas Bo School, Vanua Lava, New Hebrio and from 1935 to 1959 he v Archdeacon of Southern Melanesia