People

A trip to England by Fiji dress designer Mrs Gaetane Duncan to show her children where their father once lived and worked ended with her picking up a plum export order from the London top-quality store, Harrods. Mrs Duncan’s husband, Dr Brian Duncan, a well-known Suva practitioner, died in Suva in January last year.

Her first interview with a shrewd Harrods buyer ended with his request for information on Fiji customs tariffs. When she checked at the Fiji High Commission in London she found that Fiji-made clothing was allowed into the United Kingdom at an extremely low rate as part of an aid scheme.

At her next interview she was given an order for 320 items, including 50 sulus and two styles of dress which she calls Limbo and Pareu. The clothing has to carry a special “Made in Fiji” label.

On the way back to Fiji, Mrs Dun can stopped in Singapore. Inspired by the Harrods order, she shopped around for some business and soon had an order from a specialist swim suit shop to send a trial shipment of 30 outfits.

Naturally, Mrs Duncan is hoping that these initial orders may be the small acorn from which the mighty oak tree grows.

Dr Ganga Ram, a graduate of the Fiji School of Medicine, has retired from the Fiji Civil Service after 34 years as a health officer. He served in various centres and rural hospitals throughout Fiji. He was in the Western Division for 16 years.

Dr Ram was one of the first doctors from Fiji to undertake post-gra duate study in public health at Otago Medical Scnool in New Zea land. He does not plan to rusticate in retirement. After leave he will join the staff of the Suva City Coun cil as the council’s first full-time medical officer.

Sir Albert Henry, Premier of the Cook Islands, now carries the title Tu-Mata-Ara Mataiopo, which means a guardian warrior standing with his eyes open. As the title was handed to him at a ceremony at

Aitutaki by his family he made the necessary declaration accepting it under the House of Ariki Act. He became the first Mataiopo to be ac cepted into the Koutu-Nui, accept ing the title Mataiopo-Tutara under Vaeruarangi Ariki. This title was previously held by his mother, the late Metua Grace Henry and before that by his grandfather, Ru.

The Rev Father Francis Lambert is the new Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Port Vila. He worked for many years at Kamap, Melsisi and Vila. He was in Fiji when his appointment was announc ed.

Sister Juliana Mataiti is the first Cook Islander to celebrate a silver jubilee in the Order of St Joseph de Cluny. This entitled her to wear a gold ring, along with a silver ring which marked her first six years in the order. In joining the order she dedicated herself to the order for the rest of her life.

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Mr Michael Somare, in terrupted a pleasant Sunday after noon’s fishing in Port Moresby har bour in February to rescue a seven-

year-old English boy who had got into difficulties while swimming off Gemo Island. The boy and a com panion were taken aboard the launch being used by Mr Somare and taken back to shore where he returned them to their parents.

Major Apisai Lelenoa Masi, MC has retired from the Royal Fiji Military Forces after 27 years’ un interrupted service. Major Masi, known to one and all as Bill, was a popular officer with an almost perma nent smile on his face. He was com missioned soon after joining the Fiji

Military Forces in 1950. He served in Malaya from 1952 to 1956, winning the Military Cross for distinguished service. He was promoted to the rank of major in 1969. During his service he commanded three guards of honour for the Queen. Major Masi, at his retirement, was General Staff Of ficer II of the RFMF.

Mr Clifford Simon has been ap pointed Nauruan consul in Japan.

He replaces Mr Theodore Moses, who has resigned his post and is now on special leave of absence on Nauru.

Miss M. E. King has been appointed Australian High Commissioner to Nauru in succession to Mr A. L.

Fogg, who is to take up another ap pointment. Miss King joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1942 and has since served in Chung king, Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Suva.

Mr G.L. Morris, a New Zealander, has been appointed manager and chief executive of the Bank of Tonga, succeeding Mr C. Flint, who was manager at the bank’s inception in 1974. Mr Flint was seconded from the Bank of NSW to set up the Bank of Tonga.

Lt-Col Karry Frank, MBE, took over in February as the commanding officer of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force patrol boat base at Lombrum, Manus. He became the first national commander at the base when he succeeded an Australian officer, Commander Ted Wilkinson