Deaths Of Islands People

Four Veterans

Served Islands

For 240 Years

Deaths Of Islands People

Four Roman Catholic mis sionaries, who spent a total of 240 years working in the Pacific Islands, died in the Islands

recently.

rpHEY were Father Alessandre Goupillaud, of Samoa, Sister Mary Hermelande, of the Gilbert Islands, Sister Marie Angele, of Tonga, and Monseigneur Edouard Bresson of New Caledonia. All came originally from France.

Monseigneur Bresson arrived in New Caledonia in 1909 and for 15 years served as a missionary in the Poueboa mission.

About 1924 he was appointed Superior of the St. Louis mission near Noumea, and in 1937 he became Bishop of New Caledonia. One of his most important achievements was the introduction of Melanesian priests in New Caledonia.

In 1941 he led the centenary cere monies of the first landing of mis sionaries in New Caledonia at Balade

—the spot where Captain Cook landed.

Later, in the dark days of the Battle of the Coral Sea, Monseigneur Bresson made a vow that if New Caledonia was spared the horrors of war, he would build a church to com memorate it. The church, Eglise du Voeux (vows), has been in service for many years in Noumea.

Monseigneur Bresson retired as bishop 11 years ago and spent the rest of his life teaching student priests at the Paita seminary. He died in late April, and was buried in the St.

Louis mission cemetery.

PlM’s Noumea correspondent says Monseigneur Bresson was a man of great charm. He was the cure of fiction. Small, roly-poly, with a small goatee beard and a squeaky voice, he might have stepped from many a page. However, he was admired and regarded with affection by all, especi ally the Melanesian population.

Father Goupillaud, who was 83, ar rived in Samoa from France in 1909.

He worked at Samoan parishes at Leulumoega, Palauli, Falealupo, Falefa and Safotulafai and at Leone and Lepua in American Samoa.

He won the Legion d’Honneur a

few years ago for looking after the graves of the 12 Frenchmen of the La Perouse expedition who were mas sacred at Asu in 1787. Father Goupillaud retired in 1962 to Moamoa. He died on March 10.

Sister Hermelande died in April aged 92. She reached the Gilbert Islands in 1902 and spent the next 32 years at Tarawa, going to Abaiang in 1933 and remaining there until her death.

In her 65 years in the Islands, she never returned to her native France, nor had she travelled to the other islands of the group, except Butari tari.

Her nephew, Brother Gautier, has worked in the Gilberts for over 30 years and is at present stationed at Betio.

Sister Angele, an octogenarian, died at Eua Island, Tonga, on April 12.

She arrived at Tonga from her native France in 1906 and worked for the people of Niuatoputapu and Niuafo’ou for nearly 40 years.

In 1946 she was evacuated from Niuafo’ou when the volcano erupted and with the islanders she was moved to Eua for resettlement.

She remained there until her death

pt for a trip in September last to Nukualofa to celebrate her ond jubilee in Tonga. >ter Angele was well liked and icted by Catholics and non olics alike.

Lt.-Colonel H. I. Allan .-Colonel Herbert T. Allan, who t 20 years in a variety of jobs ew Guinea before World War 11, at his home at Mullaway, NSW, day 23, aged 72. veteran of World War I, “Blue”, ; was known to his friends, had crative goldmine at Wau when eft for Sydney at the start of d War II to enlist. The AIF him, rather reluctantly because is age (he was 45 at the time) he was sent to the Middle East, von the OBE at Tobruk. ; returned to New Guinea to against the Japanese and was in officer for both the Aus m Bth Army, and the US Army lilne Bay. He commanded AIF i at Finshchhafen, Madang, ak, Aitape and Jacquinot Bay. loted to colonel, he became ;r-in-charge of the Pacific ds Regiment. ter he was discharged in March, he became a company director lived at Mullaway, NSW, lue” Allan was the son of the Percy Allan, a well-known Syd journalist who edited Stewart’s I book of the Pacific Islands.

Mr. Kim Morris m Morris, 20-year-old son of Howe Island’s photographer, Richard Morris, was killed in April when he fell from cliffs at s Beach, on the east coast of the d. m Morris had showed great lise as an artist. His watercolours sought by islanders and tourists, tragedy shocked the small com ty of the island, as Kim was a lar figure.

Mr. F. D. W. Payten r. F. D. Payten, who lived most iis life at Lord Howe Island, on the island on April 24, aged tfr. Payten was actively engaged lost island activities, and had

collected palm seeds for the island’s only export from the age of seven until shortly before his death.

A self-taught carpenter and ship wright, he built his own home and several boats. He leaves a widow, Margaret, and a daughter Beryl Clifford, who lives in Tasmania.

Chief Letuli T. Tuia'ana Chief Letuli T. Tuia’ana, Ameri can Samoa’s popular Police Chief, died in Honolulu on May 13 during an official visit to witness the graduation of three of his officers from the Honolulu Police Academy.

Chief Letuli, who was 61, was found dead in his bed after being taken ill a few hours earlier. An inquiry was held into his death.

Born at Iliili, Chief Letuli served in the US Navy from 1931 to 1951

and was a member of American Samoa’s House of Representatives from 1952 to 1957. He had been Chief of Police for 10 years.

Chief Letuli left a widow and five children.

Mr. W. J. Hay Mr. William Joseph Hay, a well known Fiji resident, died at Auckland on May 25, aged 57.

He worked for Burns Philp (SS) Co. Pty. Ltd, at Suva and Lautoka for several years before joining the Government service.

Mr. Hay served in the Medical De partment for a number of years, and reached the rank of executive officer at the tuberculosis hospital. Tamavua.

He leaves two sons and two daughters.