Deaths Of Islands People

Dr. Farquhar Matheson Dr. Farquhar Matheson, MB, Ch.B., who had been a consultant physician with the Tongan Govern ment since 1948, died at Neiafu, Vavau, on November 28.

Dr. Matheson, a Scotsman, was married to Patricia Ledyard, author of a well-known book on Tonga, Friendly Island.

He was educated at the University of Glasgow, first went to the Islands shortly after World War I when, as a young doctor, he spent some years in Apia, Western Samoa.

Later, he established a practice in Helensville, New Zealand, where he operated the Malolo Private Hospital, but by the 1940’s his thoughts again turned to the Islands. After a single term as CMO in Rarotonga, he went to Vavau where, for the past 20 years, he had acted as Consultant to the Tongan Medical Department.

He had been ill for some time before he died.

Dr. Matheson was given an official funeral, which was attended by gov ernment officials, civic and business leaders and a host of friends from all of Vavau. His coffin, draped with the Scottish flag and the Tongan flag, was carried to a grave site above Vavau harbour by the men of ’Utulei village, where he had made his home since 1949.

He is survived by his wife; his daughter, Tami Matheson, and his foster-daughter, Tupou Tonutonu.

Mr. S. Kalidas Mr. Sunderji Kalidas, a leading Fiji authority on Indian music, died recently at Nadi, aged 65. He was born in Porbandar, India, and arrived in Fiji in 1928.

Mr. Kalidas was also a scholar of the Hindi and Gujerati languages.

He was a founder of the Fiji Bharatiya Sangeet Samiti, and con ducted weekly prayer meetings at Nadi.

Mr. Kalidas leaves a widow, three sons and eight daughters.

Mr. H. L. R. Mansell Mr. Henry Leonard Rayner Mansell, 71, was drowned in Suva harbour on December 10.

Mr. Mansell was born in Auck land and went to Fiji with his parents in 1902.

He worked for W. R. Carpenter,

Morris Hedstrom and the Customs Department before joining the PWD about 12 years ago.

In World War I he served over seas with the NZEF.

Mr. Mansell is survived by a daughter and a son.

Mr. Joseph Mitchell The death occured in Sydney in December of Mr. Joseph Mitchell, former general manager of Burns Philp Ltd. For a tribute see p. 35.

Mr. C. M. G. Adam The death occurred on Norfolk Island on November 28 of Mr.

Charles Marie Gustav Adam who served in the Condominium and British Services in the New Hebrides for 35 years, including a long spell as British District Agent on Male kula.

Mr. Adam was born in Mauritius in 1883. He went to Vila in 1912 and, because of his fluency in French and English, served for a while as interpreter at the Joint Court. He was also Acting-Registrar.

Transferring to the British Colonial Service, Mr. Adam became the first British District Agent in Central District No. 2, which then consisted of the islands of Malekula, Pente cost, Ambrym, Paama and Lopevi.

The adjacent island of Epi was later included in his territory.

Mr. Adam’s headquarters were at Bushman’s Bay, Malekula, and from there he patrolled his district with a detachment of native police on foot and by boat.

When he first went to Malekula there were cannibals in the northern part of the island. But during the 20-odd years he worked among the people, he never had to defend him self by firing a shot at a native.

Mr. Adam served in the British and French Armies in World War I and in the intelligence section of the New Hebrides Defence Force in World War 11.

While on coastwatching duties in World War II in the jungle behind Bushman’s Bay, Mr. Adam found an ancient amphitheatre and some strange stone carvings which have yet to be investigated by scientists (PIM, July, 1967, p. 90).

Mr. Adam retired from the British Colonial Service in 1947 and went to live on Norfolk Island in the same year.

He took an active part in Norfolk affairs; was a member of the old

Advisory Council; and held the office of president in 1952-3.

Mr. Adam is survived by his wife.

His daughter, Mrs. M. J. McCoy, also lives on Norfolk Island.

Father Jules Barthe The death occurred at the St.

Michel Mission, Santo, New Hebrides, on November 12 of the Rev. Father Jules Barthe, a French Marist missionary who spent 52 years of his life in the New Hebrides.

Born at Aveyron, France, on July 13, 1884, he arrived in the New Hebrides in 1914 and was posted to the Roman Catholic mission station at Wala, Malekula, where he spent one year.

He was then transferred to Mont martre, Efate, where he laboured for 40 years.

In 1955, at the age of 70, he moved to Port Olry where it was thought he would live in quiet, well deserved retirement.

But he immediately began studying the local language and investigating the Big Bay and Cape Cumberland areas in his boat, Sainte Anita. His excursions in the Sainte Anita led to his discovery of some pagan tribes, whom he began to teach.

He retired to Vao in 1963.

Mr. George Bower Mr. George Bower, farm manager of the Fiji Leprosy Hospital, Makogai Island, collapsed and died in December while conducting a choir rehearsal of the Hallelujah Chorus in the hospital theatre.

Mr. Bower, who was 53, had been at Makogai since 1950, first as a carpenter and then as farm manager.

Mr. Adam photographed just before he left the New Hebrides.