Islands People

Deaths of Islands People

Mrs. A. B. Bensted Mrs. Ada Blanch Bensted, who died in Sydney on September 28, aged 84, had close family links with Papua. Her first marriage was to a serving officer in the Papua Public Service, and the second was to a retired Papua Director of Works.

She was born in Sydney, and in 1906 she married Mr. Bertram William Bramell at Baradobu, in the Rigo sub-district. Her husband held several public posts and when he retired was Commissioner of Native Affairs. They lived in retirement in Sydney. Mr. Bramell died in 1938.

Mrs. Bramell later married Mr. John Thomas Bensted, a retired Director of Works from Papua. Mr. Bensted died in the early 1960’5.

Mrs. Bensted leaves a son, Mr.

Jack Bramell, of Sydney, who served in Papua-New Guinea for 31 years and who was Land Titles Commis sioner when he retired in 1968, and a daughter, Mrs. Elsie McCarthy, of Canberra.

Mrs. Bensted also had links with the territory through her own family, the Skellys, who had a hotel at Samarai, and the English family at Rigo.

Mr. Arthur Brooker Mr. Arthur Brooker, headmaster of Vureas School, Aoba, New Hebrides, died from electrocution in September while using an electric drill at the school.

Mr. Brooker worked in the Anglican Diocese of Melanesia for 10 years. He was first on the staff of St. Mary’s School, Maravovo, Guadalcanal, eventually becoming headmaster. He next moved to the New Hebrides, and at the end of 1966 he became headmaster of Vureas School. Mr. Brooker, who married in January, 1967, leaves a widow and two children.

Pastor A. J. Campbell Pastor Alexander John Campbell, a pioneer Seventh-day Adventist missionary to New Guinea and the Solomons, died in Sydney on Octo ber 2, aged 70. A tribute to his work will appear next month.