Islands People

Deaths of Islands People

Maiava Muipu

Western Samoa’s Chief Inspector of Schools, Maiava Muipu, died in hospital in Samoa on March 12.

Maiava started his career as a primary school teacher at Papa, Savai’i in 1932. In 1938, he was appointed a district school inspector for grade two schools at Fagamalo, Savai’i.

In 1968 Maiava became Chief Inspector of Schools, the first Samoan to hold the position. Maiava’s name became a household word through out Samoa because of his wisdom and his total commitment to the betterment of Samoan education. He held the QBE He is survived by his wife, Anevili Maiava, and a son and a daughter.

Mr. J. D. Whitcombe Mr. J. D. Whitcombe of Auck land, former long-time resident of Nukualofa, Tonga, has died in Auck land, aged 87. His association with Tonga began when he was a young lad. His father, Charles Douglas Whitcombe was then Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Government of Tonga.

Born and educated in New Ply mouth, Mr. Whitcombe went to Tonga and then moved on to Fiji, returning to Tonga to serve as Sec retary to the Premier, Government interpreter, copra inspector, and teacher.

He left Tonga in 1928 and took up a position with The New Zealand Herald until his retirement in 1951.

He retained his interest in Tonga as representative of the Pacific Islands Monthly over the last 17

years, and was a frequent contri butor of historical articles.

His knowledge of the Tongan language was always of great in terest to his many friends and for some years he had been working on a revised Tongan-English dictionary and vocabulary.

He is survived by two sons and four daughters.

Vincent Biri Alisae Solomons bronze medallist at the 1966 South Pacific Games, Vincent Biri Alisae, died recently in New Zealand. Together with George Top ping, he was the first Solomon Islander to win a medal at the Games. His death came after a long illness which had taken him to hospital twice and which cut short a bright sporting and academic career.

Mr. J. D. Whitcombe.