Deaths

of Islands People

Ratu Alipate

Mocevakaca

The Tui Matuku, paramount chief of Fiji’s Matuku Island, at 58. After service with the 3rd Fiji Battalion in Solomon Islands in World War 11, he

joined the Fijian provincial ad

ministration. He succeeded to his title in 1964 on the death of his brother. He is survived by his wife and 11 children.

Dr A. J. Tonaki

Tony Tonaki, one of the first civilian doctors to return to Papua New Guinea after the Pacific War, in Brisbane. After a private practice in Port

Moresby he joined the

Queensland public service.

E.L.T. Ashley

A champion of the cause of

Fiji’s old capital Levuka,

owner and manager of the

Royal Hotel, Levuka, for about 30 years, at 62. He is survived by his wife and seven chil dren.

Kahata Wakang

Leader of the Lei-Wompa people oTPapua New Guinea’s Morobe Province, at an age estimated at anything from 80 to well into the 90s. Widely loved and respected, he had early associations with the Ger man colonists, and lived and died a devout Lutheran. He worked actively with the Aus tralian administration after the expulsion of the Germans. On retirement in the early 1930 s he returned to his home village of Butibam where he spent the rest of his days.

Lord Milverton

As Sir Arthur Richards, gover nor of Fiji 1936-38, at 93. He also served as governor in Gambia, Jamaica and

Nigeria.

Veeraswami

Mudaliar

A leading member of Fiji’s National Federation Party, at 65. He was noted for his ser

vices to the party, given over many years without remuner ation. He is survived by his wife and seven children.

Valerie Nobbs

Matriarch of the Norfolk Island community, known throughout the island as ‘Aunty Val’, at 87. At the funeral ser vice in All Saints, Kingston, the Rev Philip Kitchin said: ‘Valerie Nobbs was a great lady who has been one of the promi nent figures in the history of the island. She had tremendous strength of character and lead ership qualities and was looked up to and respected by every one on the island. It will be many, many months before we realise that Aunty Val is not with us.’

William Hayward

Mr William Hayward, a Fiji publican for many years, has died in Brisbane, aged 84. He managed the Club Hotel in Suva, which was destroyed by a hurricane in January, 1952.

The public bar of the hotel was later reopened, and Mr

Hayward managed it until 1956, when it was closed pend ing overall rebuilding of the hotel. Mr Hayward took an active interest in Suva sports teams.

N. Blood

Neptune (Ned) Blood, ex plorer and former manager of Sir Edward Hallstrom’s station at Nondugl in Papua New Guinea’s highlands, on the Gold Coast, Queensland.

C. B. Bailey

Clifford B. Bailey, an executive with W. R. Carpenter companies in Fiji and Papua New Guinea, has died aged 69.

He was secretary and then a director of the Fiji companies.

He went to Rabaul in 1951 to set up a coconut mill for Coco nut Products Ltd, becoming chairman and managing direc tor of that company. Sub sequently he became a director and resident chief executive of

the Carpenter companies at

Rabaul and later at Port Moresby. He leaves a widow, two daughters and a son.