Deaths Of Islands People

Mr. Gordon Russell Mr. Gordon Foulis Russell, one ime mariner, writer, shark fisher nan and weather expert in the Cook slands, died in Wellington Hospital, 4Z, on July 8. He was 64.

Born in NZ, and educated in NZ md the UK, Mr. Russell served as . deck officer in the merchant service rom 1920 to 1928 For the next 10 ears he worked in NZ as a farmer nd advertising consultant. Then he /ent to Fiji where he fished for harks and did coastal work for the merchant navy In 1944-45 he owned and skippered he schooner Cimba, and did a spell •f oceanographical work. In 1952 e moved to the Cooks for the NZ Meteorological Service and he re lained there until 1961, when he aok up a job as a marine metero- Dgical officer in Wellington.

Mr. Russell wrote for various news apers and magazines—including *lM —on Pacific and maritime sub sets.

He was a quiet man who easily lade friends and had many through ut the South Seas. He leaves a ddow, Mary, and two children.

Mrs. Kati Whitcombe Mrs. Kati Esther Whitcombe, who pent many years in the Islands, died t her home in Auckland, NZ, in uly.

She married John Douglas Whit ombe in 1911, and from 1915 to 917 the couple lived in Fiji, where Ir. Whitcombe worked for the Customs Department. In 1917 they loved to Tonga, where, after work ig as a produce inspector, Mr. /hitcombe became a teacher.

In 1929, the couple returned to IZ, and since 1958 Mr. Whitcombe as been PI M’s representative there.

Mrs. Whitcombe leaves a husband, x children (four daughters and two ms), 18 grand-children and four reat-grand-children.

Mr. Wallace Warden, MBE The death occurred in Sydney in ane of Wallace Wynter Warden, who ved on Taveuni, Fiji, for 30 years ntil 1954. He was 77. During his sriod in Fiji, from 1924 to 1954, s managed a number of plantations >r Coubrough Estates. Through ise management he kept the labour )rce intact through the copra de ression.

He had served in France in World far I as a lieutenant, being severely ounded and being Mentioned in

Despatches. He was invested with the MBE by the Queen in 1953 for his services to the community. After his retirement he lived at Molly mook, near Ulladulla, NSW, until his death.

He leaves a widow, Dorothy, two sons and a daughter..

Mrs. Olivia Jones Mrs. Olivia Jones, better known to her many friends in the New Hebrides as Mrs. “Billy” Jones, died recently at her home in Springwood, near Sydney.

She first arrived in Vila in 1932 with her husand, Stan, who worked for the next two years as an account ant for Bums Philp (New Hebrides) Ltd. In 1938 the couple returned to Vila and for the next 20 years Mr.

Jones worked in Vila as manager for BP.

With most of the women in the New Hebrides, Mrs. Jones was sent to Sydney in 1941 when Japanese invasion looked close.

She returned to Vila in 1945 and became popular as a hostess and bridge player, and she was a familiar sight at the many tennis parties held in Vila in the 1950’5.

Her husband, who “retired” in 1958, began working again in 1962 and is currently manager for D. A.

Gubbay Pty. Ltd., which has New Caledonian and New Hebrides in terests. She is survived by her hus band and a daughter.

Mr. Norman Akehurst Mr. Norman Akehurst, who arrived at Rabaul, New Britain, in 1953 and for the past 12 years had worked as a buyer of scrap metals for over seas companies, died recently in Rabaul. He was 54.

Mr, Akehurst is survived by his wife and two children.

Rev. George Nakaora The Rev. George Nakaora, presi dent of the Methodist Conference in Fiji, died in Suva, on June 30, aged 57.

He had been installed as president only a year ago, succeeding the Rev.

Setareki Tuilovoni.

The Rev. Nakaora was bom in Rotuma, and trained as a school teacher. He was ordained in 1943.

He held a number of posts in the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma.

The Rev. Nakaora leaves a widow and 13 children, 12 of them from a previous marriage.

Mrs. Emily Channer Mrs. Emily Mary Charmer, one of Norfolk Island’s oldest residents, died in Norfolk Island Hospital in late June, aged 81.

She was a suffragette in England before 1914, and an active Red Cross worker during World War I.

Her old home opposite Queen Elizabeth Avenue in Taylor’s Road became known as Channer’s Comer.

For the past few years she was a cheery and talkative patient of the island’s hospital.

Mrs. Betty Lovell Mrs. Betty Therese Lovell, wife of Mr. Max Lovell, former Fiji policeman and hotelier, died in Mel bourne on June 24, aged 42, She and her husband were well known throughout Viti Levu, where Mr. Lovell managed several hotels in the Northern Hotels chain. She is survived by her husband, three daughters and three sons.

Mr. Edward Wilson Mr. Edward Wilson, a popular resident of New Guinea for over 20 years—mostly as a senior clerk with the Department of Civil Aviation at Madang, died recently in Madang.

Mr. Wilson was in his fifties.

He leaves a widow and children in Australia.

Chief Mariwota Chief Mariwota, a long-time chief of Nguna Island, north of Efate, New Hebrides, has died on Nguna, aged 84.

Mariwota’s father was ruler of Nguna when the Reverend Peter Milne arrived in 1870 and bought some land known as Taloa for the Presbyterian Mission. Mariwota is survived by his daughter, Dulcie, wife of Mr. J. Tavituele, and his son, John Taripu, Nguna’s current chief.

Pastor Zurecnuoc Pastor Zurecnouc, a venerable Lutheran leader in the Morobe District of P-NG, died recently at Sattelberg, near Finschhafen. He was in his eighties.

He was one of the first New Guinea pastors appointed by Lutheran missionaries in German pre- World War I days and did much to help European missionaries under stand New Guineans.

He was a good speaker and composed numerous hymns. Pastor Zurecnuoc married twice and had 14 children, one of whom is Zure Zurecnuoc, a member of the House of Assembly, 1964-68.