Islands People
pp. 72-73 · Read in the full issue
Deaths of Islands People
Mr H. W. Evans The death occurred at his home at Turramurra, Sydney, on February 18 of Mr Hallen William Evans, well-known former resident of Papua New Guinea.
He was born in Sydney in 1913 but went with his parents, the late Mr and Mrs H. Beilby Evans, to Rabaul in 1921 when the new civil administration of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea was being set up and the powerful Australian
Expropriation Board was taking over former German plantations.
Young Hal and his brothers and sisters became founding pupils at the Rabaul primary school when it was probably the only European school in the territory and when white children were a rare commodity in New Guinea.
Later, after school in Sydney, he returned to his family to assist his father who had taken up plantation land in Buka. The Depression was then in full swing and in 1933 Hallen branched out for himself as overseer on Rugen Plantation where early attempts were being made to plant coffee.
He joined the public service in 1934. After the Pacific War he was District Labour Officer, Madang and, later, senior co-operatives officer for New Ireland.
He left Papua New Guinea for a new career as export manager for an Islands merchant firm in 1956.
He has been an active member of the ex-PNG public service asso ciation, a keen yachtsman and an exemplary family man. His know ledge of the early period of Austra lian administration in New Guinea was extensive, as was his command of Pidgin English. In his young days in Papua New Guinea he sometimes acted as court interpreter and, after his return to Sydney, PIM on numerous occasions had reason to thank his sharp memory of early PNG events and his expertise as a translator of passages of inexplicable Pidgin that came our way.
He is survived by his wife Linda, hs married daughters Patty and Lynne and his son Hallen Jr.
Mrs L. Sutherland Mrs Laura Sutherland, who was ictive in the social life of Rabaul or some years after World War II lied recently in Mackay, Queens and, aged 77. She went to Rabaul n 1947, where she worked in the elegraph office. Mrs Sutherland was in early member of the New Britain Yemen's Club.
Dr M. A. Radcliffe-Taylor Dr Marion Aroha Radcliffe-Taylor /ho had a medical practice at Rabaul for bout 20 years, died in Sydney in March, ged 82. Dr Radcliffe-Taylor was also eenly interested in art. and founded the tabaul Art Society.
She was born in New Zealand and raduated in medicine at Otago Univer ty. She practised privately in Perth for ’me years, and later took a degree in irgery (FRCS) at Edinburgh University.