Islands People

Deaths of Islands People

Adi Alisi Toganivalu Adi Alisi Toganivalu, mother of three ministers in the Fiji Govern ment, died on January 18, aged 85.

She was married three times. Her third husband was Ratu George Toganivalu, who was roko in Bua and Ba.

Adi Alisi was active in welfare and education for Fijian girls while Ratu George was in those provinces.

The Queen awarded her the Certifi cate of Honour in 1953.

Among her 10 children are Ratu David Toganivalu (Minister for In formation), Ratu Josua Toganivalu (Minister for Lands and Mineral Re sources) and Ratu William Togani valu (Minister for Fijian Affairs and Rural Development).

Traditional Fijian ceremonies were held to mark the death of Adi Alisi.

Gagaj Urekmat

Gagaj Urekmat, a prominent Rotu man chief, died recently, aged 57.

He was known as Eliesa Mejeli be fore the title of Urekmat was be stowed on him about 30 years ago.

He was a great-great-great grandson of Chieftainess Paurine Feafe, who surrendered her leadership and the chiefly district of Noatau to Maafu, of Tonga, in the 19th century when Maafu and his men invaded the island.

Mr Awali Ungunaibe Mr Awali Ungunaibe, MHA for Poroma-Kutubu Open, in Papua New Guinea, died recently after a long illness, aged 28. He was born at Kun village, in the Southern High lands. He worked as an interpreter from 1964 to 1971. He was self educated and spoke both Enga and Pidgin.

Mrs D. D. Sharma Mrs Din Dayal Sharma, who died recently in Suva, was 105 years old.

She went to Fiji from India under the indenture system with a sister and brother-in-law, and served her time in Naitasiri. The title Mata Ji was bestowed on her because of her work in helping the needy. She leaves three sons and three daughters. One son, Mr Gurudayal Sharma, is editor of Shanti Dut, the Hindi vernacular weekly newspaper, published by the Fiji Times and Herald Ltd.

Mr Hubert Sabben, OBE Mr Hubert Sabben, who spent 39 years in the Fiji civil service, died in Sydney on January 23. He was in. his 89th year. He was born at Levuka, and apprenticed as an en gineer in the CSR Co Ltd mill at Ba.

He later obtained his marine en gineering ticket in Australia, and joined the Fiij civil service, serving in a number of marine posts, and retiring in 1946 as mechanical en gineer.

Mr Sabben maried twice. He left two children from his first marriage —Mrs Ruve Colingwood, who works in the Fiji Government town planning section, and Mr Hubert (Jumbo) Sabben, OBE, whe retired from the Colonial Service in 1967.

Mr Sabben was awarded the OBE for his services to Fiji before and during World War 11.

Mr L J. O'Malley Mr Louis James O’Malley, who served in Papua New Guinea for more than 40 years, died suddenly in Sydney on February 10, aged 63.

He served in many parts of the terri tory. When he retired in 1968 he was District Commissioner for Manus, based at Lorengau. He went to Syd ney to live after he retired. Mr O’Malley is survived by his wife and four children.

Mrs Rosella Price Fiji-born Mrs Rosella Price has died at her home, Qaranikula, in Savusavu, Vanua Levu, at the age of 84 after a long illness.

The daughter of the late Mr Alfred Henry Knight-Barrack, who was apprenticed as a boat builder with Mr James Palmer at Vagadaci, Levuka, in 1878, Mrs Price went to New Zealand to live at an early age with Dr and Mrs G. E. Seville, re turning to Fiji in 1928 with her hus band, John, to live at Qaranikula.

Mr Price died in 1960 and her second son, Edward, was killed in action in Libya in World War 11. She is sur vived by her son John and daughter, Mrs Lema Low, who wrote A Family in Fiji, a book about their plantation life.

Mr R. G. Garrett, OBE Mr Ronald Gordon Garrett, who died recently in Sydney, aged 70, worked for Burns Philp for almost 40 years in New Guinea and the Line Islands. He went to Rabaul in 1931 to work,' and a few months later joined Burns Philp as a planta tion overseer. He later worked on copra plantations at Mai in the Ninigos, and at Witu.

In 1937, he was transferred to Washington Island, and between

then and 1950, he managed the Burns Philp interests at Washington and Fanning Islands. He spent about nine of the 13 years on Fanning Island. During World War 11, he worked for the allied forces as a ham radio operator, on other com munications work, and as a coast watcher, and was awarded the OBE.

He was transferred back to Rabaul in 1950 as plantation inspector. He stayed in that work till his retirement in 1969. After he retired he lived in Rabaul for several years. About the end of 1972 he left Rabaul and went to live in Sydney.