Islands People

Deaths of Islands People

Senator L. T. W. Reed Senator Leaeno T. W. Reed, whc had served in the Legislature ol American Samoa since 1958, anc who held the position of President ot the Senate in the Twelfth Legislature died on February 5. at Lyndon B Johnson Tropical Medical Centre in Pago Pago, American Samoa. He was 55 years old.

Senator Reed held Samoan High Chief and High Talking Chief titles and had served two terms in the House of Representatives and five terms in the Senate of American Samoa. He was a delegate to the 1967 Constitutional Convention, and a member of the Gubernatorial Study Commission, a member of the 1972 Constitutional Revision Committee, and a director of the Development Bank of American Samoa. He served! in the United States Army during; World War 11.

The Senator is survived by his wife and one son.

Acting Governor Frank Mockler said that the Senator was “a most valued public servant, and he will be sorely missed by those who have worked with him. He will long be remembered for his service to the people of American Samoa”.

Vice-Admiral J. E. Whelchel Vice-Admiral John Esten Whel chel, a former administrative official' who served in Micronesia when it was under US naval control, died recently at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Virginia. He was 75. He was Deputy High Commissioner of the Caroline, Marshall and Mariana Islands in 1947.

Captain C. J. Stephenson

Captain Charles John Stephenson, RAN (retired) who died recently in Western Australia, was born on Nor folk Island. He joined the Royal Aus tralian Navy when he was 14. He served with the RAN in World War 11. His father was Registrar on Nor folk Island for many years.

Mr Leau Kalolo Mr Leau Kalolo, believed to be 120 years old, died recently at Solo solo, Western Samoa. Throughout his life he was a strong walker, and even when he became an old man would often walk from Solosolo to Apia and back, about six miles. He would

[ scorn offers of a lift from passing , motorists. He was married at least [ five times, and leaves a great number I of children, grandchildren and great-

I grandchildren.

Mr A. S. Filial Mr Appa Swami Pillai, of Qeleloa, Nadi, who worked for a number of [ welfare organisations in Fiji, died [ recently, aged 69. He built a home I for old people on his own land, and cared for them from his own resour [ces and from subscriptions from well- I wishers.

In his younger days he worked in the Fiji P and T Department, becom ing postmaster at Ra. Later he ran his own shop at Sabeto, later sold it and started another shop at Nadi.

Then he became chief clerk in a Nadi legal firm. He leaves a widow, three sons and four daughters.

Miss Kaiee Adams Miss Kaiee (Caroline) Adams, a lifelong resident of Norfolk Island, died on January 16, aged 86. She was a descendant of the Christian family, of Bounty fame. Miss Adams had been an inmate of the Norfolk Island Hospital for more than 10 years. Such was her indomitable spirit that she overcame the effects of a severe stroke, regaining the power of speech, and to walk, al though in the last year she moved about in a wheelchair.

Mr R. H. T. Beaumont Mr R. H. T. Beaumont, Com missioner of Police in Fiji from 1965 to 1967, died recently in Andorra in the Pyrenees, where he was living in retirement. He was 62. Mr Beau mont, a strict disciplinarian, took charge of the Fiji Police when morale was at a low ebb after two searching public inquiries. He introduced new equipment and new methods which helped to raise the force to a much higher degree of efficiency.

Mr Richard Christian Mr Richard Christian, owner of Bounty Lodge, Norfolk Island, died suddenly in Sydney in January. He was manager of a hardware store in the suburb of Peakhurst, He leaves two sons and a daughter.

Mr Augustus De Silva Betham Mr Augustus De Silva Betham, one of Apia’s oldest former residents, died recently in Honolulu, aged 92. Edu cated locally and in New Zealand, he

worked as a blacksmith and a sales man before joining the Agricultural Department where he introduced the sun-dryer method for copra. He later became stores manager for the Health Department. After his retire ment, Mr Betham continued work as a building contractor before going to live in Hawaii.

He is survived by nine children and numerous grandchildren.

Mr Kurt Meyer Well-known Western Samoan planter, Mr Kurt Meyer, died recently at his home near Apia. He was 91.

Born in Minden, Germany, Mr Meyer came to Samoa at the age of 27 to work for the German Magia Plantation Co. He bought his first land near Apia in 1912. During both World Wars he was interned as an enemy alien by the NZ Administra tion.

When the former German planta tions were transferred to the Samoan people, Mr Meyer represented the NZ Government on the board of Direc tors. Five years later, in 1962, he was awarded the OBE.

Mr Meyer is survived by his wife, two sons and 25 grandchildren and

great-grandchildren.

Rev Father A. J. McKay The Rev Father Alan J. McKay, who was a Catholic missionary in Western Samoa for several years, died in Noumea in January after a traffic accident. He became chaplain at the US Naval Station in American Samoa in 1948, and after the death of Bishop Dieter he transferred to Western Samoa to take charge of the seminary. Later he served in Falealupo, where he also ran the rural post office, a government radio station and collected government funds. He went back to New Zealand, where he was born, in 1961, to a teaching appointment, and from there he went to New Caledonia to join the staff at Noumea Cathedral.

His pastorate in New Caledonia covered many fields. His fluent Samoan allowed him close con tact with the Wallisian community.

He acted as an unofficial trade rep resentative for New Zealand and made all the arrangements for the NZ 3rd Battalion’s commemorative visit to the NZ Cemetery at Bourail on Anzac Day. A prominent sup porter of the ecumenical movement, he maintained close contact with the Anglican and Presbyterian churches and occasionally officiated at ser vices, including at least one marriage of Anglicans and a funeral service.