Islands People

Deaths of Islands People

Mr Heath Hemphill Mr Heath Hemphill, secretary of the Defence Club in Suva for many years, died on February 18, aged 62.

Mr Hemphill was born in New Zea land and joined the Bank of NZ staff in Suva in 1937.

After naval service in World War 11, he worked at Tavua and then became Defence Club secretary. He was also secretary of the Suva Cham ber of Commerce, and for a time was secretary of the Fiji Federated Chambers of Commerce.

He was an enthusiastic yachtsman.

He leaves a widow and a son.

Papalli Poumau

Papalii Poumau, MBE, a former member of the Western Samoa Public Service Commission, has died in New Zealand. After his retirement he went into politics and was elected to Par liament. He was Minister of Educa tion in the Mataafa Government.

A. Lagolago

Asiata Lagolago, one of the senior members of the Parliament of West ern Samoa, and former minister, has died suddenly, aged 58. He entered Parliament in 1957 and remained an MP till his death.

He was Minister of Agriculture from 1960 to 1964. Subsequently he served as chairman of the Bills Com mittee and the Public Accounts Com mittee. Asiata worked as a teacher from 1934 to 1942. He then returned to his village and lived privately till his election to Parliament.

He leaves a widow and several

Children.

Mrs Titana Tangi Mrs Titani Tangi, believed to be :he oldest inhabitant of the Cook Islands, died at Penrhyn on February 5. She was believed to be more than 100. Mrs Tangi (or Mama as she vas known), was the youngest laughter of William Marsters, who lettled on Palmerston Island about 1860. She and her husband spent Jiany years on missionary work in he Cook Is. She leaves children, grandchildren, great grandchildren

ind great-great-grandchildren.

Apisai Toga

! Apisai Toga, one of a crop of prominent Fijian rugby footballers vho turned to Rugby League over

seas in the early 19605, died suddenly in a Sydney hospital on January 30.

It is believed he had a virus infection, but the results of a post mortem were not expected to be known for about six weeks.

Apisai, a big powerful, raw-boned forward, came from the village of Saulaka, near Nadi. He played rugby for Fiji in the First South Pacific Games in 1963. Early in 1964 he went over to the cash ranks, joining Rochdale Hornets in Lancashire. He did not like the cold weather of the north of England, so transferred to St George, in Sydney, in 1968.

He was a member of a talented rugby family. An elder brother, Sela Toga, represented Fiji and was one of the best loose forwards produced in the country. A younger brother, Inosi, plays Rugby League for St George, generally in the lower grades.

Tributes to Apisai were paid by Sydney Rugby Union and Rugby League identities.

Mr Wallace McQueen, secretary of the Australian Rugby Union—“He was a rugby player to begin with and proved to be a fine advertisement for the game and the nicest of people”.

Apisai’s body was flown back to Fiji for burial.

Fr J. Halbwachs A French-born missionary, who worked for 63 years in the Solomon Islands with only one leave period, when he went to his order’s religious house in Sydney, Father Joseph Halbwachs SM has died at Rua Vatu mission station on Guadalcanal, a few weeks before his 91st birthday.

After his religious profession at

Strasbourg in 1909, Fr Halbwachs left for the Solomons and never returned home.

Mr T. Manner Wuvulu islander and former Rabaul councillor, Mr Timio Manner has died in Rabaul at the age of 56.

The son of a Dutch medical assis tant, Mr Manner went to Rabaul in 1927 and, after spending five years at the Malaguna Technical School, joined the Agricultural Department.

He was at Salamaua when the Japanese invaded New Guinea and, along with Europeans, went into the bush and worked with the Army and ANGAU until the war ended.

Mr D. W. Sullivan Widely known in the Islands as an island agent, Mr Denis Winston Sullivan, chairman of the Sydney based firm of C. Sullivan Holdings, died in Sydney on February 24 after a long illness. He was 54.

Born on Norfolk Island where his father, Mr Charles Sullivan, had a grocery store before branching out as an island agent, Mr Sullivan was educated in Sydney and joined his father’s company in the 19305. His career as an island agent was inter rupted by World War II and he served with the Eighth Division in the Middle East. He rejoined the company after the war and built up a reputation in the Islands, as his father had done before him, as a “square dealer”, making many friends.

He leaves a widow, two sons, a daughter and one grandson. The funeral was held privately in Sydney on February 26.