Deaths Of Islands People

Mrs. Viti Bentley [rs. Viti Bentley, a member of a -known Fiji family, died in New land recently, where she and her )and had been living in retirement several years. [rs. Bentley was formerly Miss [yn Watson, a daughter of Mr.

B. S. Watson, who onced owned :aya Island in the Lomaiviti ip. er husband worked for the Union m Ship Co. in Suva for many s. Later he and his wife bought :aya Island, where they lived lill sold out and went to New Zea- Rev. Richard Piper he Rev. Richard Piper, a hodist minister who spent 19 s with his church’s mission in died recently at Chatswood, V. fter ordination before World 1, he started his work in Fiji, lys advocating better conditions Indian indentured labourers, e went to India in 1913 to see litions of indenture, and through efforts a commission was set up iquire into the system. [r. Piper established the first lanage in Lautoka for Indian iren. The building still stands is now the residential part of Jasper Williams Boarding School, ther work included an orchard an experimental farm in the toka area, the establishment of open air theatre, and strenuous Ic, assisted by his wife, in treating sick and dying during the 1918 enza epidemic.

Rev. Mother Mary Amadeus he Rev. Mother Mary Amadeus, led an active religious life for e than 65 years, died in the Marist vent, Lautoka, on November 14. was in her 80th year, other Mary was born in London entered the congregation of ist Sisters in 1906. She went to in 1912 and remained there, pt for a short period in Sydney, ic taught at schools in Levuka, dlagi, Ba, Varoka, Lautoka and i.

High Chief Pascal Sihaze ie death occurred on Lifu Island, ic Loyalty Group, in October of i Chief Pascal Sihaze. He was The High Chief was a greatly

respected and efficient administrator of France, with 17 Lifu tribes under his authority. He was a chevalier of the Legion of Honour. More than 3,000 mourners attended his funeral.

Mr. Roy McGregor

Mr. Roy McGregor, former New Guinea planter and businessman, and a soldier of both World Wars, died in Sydney on November 21. He was 74 and a leading NG identity.

His first taste of Island life, in

spired by his brother, the late William McGregor, was in 1914, after the Army, to his disgust, had rejected him for service overseas because he was too short.

He went to the Solomons, where he worked for Lever Bros, on Brandi station.

About a year later he was back in Sydney, working for Dairy Farmers Co-op. Milk Co., as a ledger keeper. He was in that position for barely three weeks and then, apparently able to convince the authorities that in spite of his size he would still make a soldier, he joined the AIF.

In 1916 he was in France, serving

with the 36th Battalion. He was in several of the major battles, and

SSCaS 6 s *

‘ Mr. McGregor returned to Austraha in 1920 and rejoined the staff ot Dairy Farmers. Later he went mto business on his own account at About he applied for plantation leases in New Guinea, and he left for the territory in 1927 when his application was approved.

His plantations were Erimabush and Duai, about 20 miles from Madang.

He also held the title to another

estate. Magaria, which was next to Duai

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he put a manager in charge, and went to Madang, where he opened a gen eral store, and also started to dabble in other enterprises, including steve

doring.

When World War II came along his wife was evacuated to Australia, to join her daughter who was at a boarding school in Sydney,

Mr . McGregor had previously

joined the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles and when the time came he was called up for active service.

He was particularly active in Worl War II on a variety of assignment;

including operating American PI

boats along the coasts.

One of his assignments was to 100 after a contingent of men, evacuate from New Britain, and to move ther from Bogadjim to Wau. He walke them all through safely.

He then walked from Wau t Port Moresby, and flew down t Australia for leave.

Mr. McGregor continued as i soldier in New Guinea till the en of the war, and he was demobilise in 1946.

His first task then was to n habilitate his business and estate; a rather forbidding task, but on which he accomplished in spite c many difficulties.

His wife rejoined him in 1947.

Mr. McGregor was managin director of the Madang Bakery fc some years before retiring in to live at West Pennant Hills, a outer suburb of Sydney.

He leaves a widow and a daughtei Mrs. Faye Maltman.

Mr. Bob Marsters Mr. Bob Marsters, one of the bes machine divers in the Norther Cook Islands, died of the bends a Suwarrow Atoll on September U He had been diving in a helme with an air pump, and died aboil an hour after coming up.

News of his death was brough to the Resident Agent at Manihik by the American yacht Mar-Quesc which had called at Suwarrov earlier.

Mr. Marsters, who was a membe of the celebrated Marsters family o Palmerston Island, was a single mai in his early forties.

He had spent the past 10 year or so pearl-diving at Manihiki, an< the 15 years before that diving a Penrhyn Island.

Mr. Marsters was one of th< divers who went to Suwarrow in thi Tague with Tom Neale in July ( PIM Aug., p.. 24).

Ratu E. N. Mataitini Ratu Etuate Navakamocea Mat aitini, Vunivalu of Rewa, Fiji, diet at Suva on November 17, three weeks short of his 80th birthday He was the second highest chiel of Rewa.

As a leader of his people he served in the Fiji Legislative Council foi several years up to 1950, and was a member of the Great Council of Chiefs for more than 30 years.

Ratu Etuate is survived by his third wife, seven sons and six daughters.