Deaths

of Islands People

Dr Shiv Kumar In Western Germany in February, after a short illness.

Dr Kumar was the deputy superintendent of an 800-bed hospital near Dusseldorf.

Born and educated in Fiji, he obtained a BSc degree from an Indian university. In 1962 he left Fiji to study medicine at Wurzberg University, Germany, and became a specialist in internal medicine.

He was a younger brother of Jai Narayan, principal of Indian College, Suva. He is survived by his German-born wife and two children.

Toluono Lama In New Zealand in February.

A former MP from Palauli, Western Samoa, Toluono Lama was considered to have been Prime Minister Tupuola Efi’s ‘right-hand’ adviser on Samoan affairs. He was the Pulenu’u Committee chairman at the time he became ill and was taken to New Zealand for treatment.

Jack Fenton In Savusavu, Fiji, on December 19, as a result of a road accident, aged 77.

An active member of the community, Jack Fenton was a foundation member of the Planters’ Club and was presi dent for two years. His integrity was reflected in the fact that over the years he was either trustee or executor for many wills. He was also a foundation member of the board of governors of the Savusavu Sec ondary School.

He is survived by his wife, daughter and grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Oscar Clark In New Zealand on August 11, 1981, aged 54.

Oscar Clark was the assistant postmaster on Pitcairn Island from 1950, becoming postmas ter in 1960. He held this position until 1978 when his wife’s ill-health made it necess ary for them to go to New Zealand.

Maximus (Max) Joseph

Bay

In Auckland in February, aged 74.

Max Bay was born in Auck land, but spent almost 32 years in Fiji as a school-teacher, education officer, and finally deputy director of education.

He taught at a number of provincial schools before be coming principal of Nasinu Training College, near Suva.

Perhaps his finest achievement in education was at Ratu Kadavulevu School, where he was principal from 1953 to 1957.

The school, commonly known as RKS, had run down and morale was low among both staff and pupils. By setting a fine example he soon had a dedicated staff following his efforts, and when he went on to higher things RKS had re gained all the respect it had previously enjoyed.

Max Bay brought a common sense approach to education.

For him, it was not education for its own sake, but something to be applied to the needs of the pupil and the country.

He was equally well known in sporting circles. He had rep resented New Zealand at hockey before he went to Fiji, where he applied his ability both as player and adminis trator to the welfare of the game.

So well did he develop the game in Fiji that a team he managed in New Zealand won all its matches except one.

He was also a first class lawn bowler. He returned to Fiji some time after he retired to New Zealand, to manage Fiji’s bowling team at a major over seas tournament.

Leonard Elwyn Christian On Pitcairn on September 27, 1981, aged 72.

A great-great-great-grandson

of Fletcher Christian, Elwyn

Christian was given some medi cal training by a visiting doctor in 1937 and became recognised as the ‘lsland’s doctor’ until an officially registered nurse, Evelyn Totenhoffer, arrived in 1944 to take over his responsi bilities.

He did a short course in dentistry in Fiji which enabled him to do fillings, extractions and even make dentures, and he was officially appointed ‘den tist’, a post from which he resigned in 1978.

For many years he supervised the building of the long boats and built several dug-out-type canoes for fishing. He was also the first person on Pitcairn island to have his own diesel generator and a Mini-Moke. He was a church deacon, and secretary to the Sabbath School.

Erwin D. Canham On Guam on January 4, aged 77.

A former editor of The Christian Science Monitor, and resident commissioner for the Northern Marianas, Erwin Canham died after unspecified abdominal surgery.

In an obituary notice, the newspaper Pacific Daily News wrote of the ‘respect’ in which Mr Canham was held by Micronesian leaders.

Finau Manukla In Sydney on January 14, following a car accident, aged 30.

Tongan-born Finau Manukia was to have been married two days after he died.

Archie Pickering

In New Zealand on December 24, 1981.

A retired sea captain. Mr

Pickering, of Mavera, Cook Islands, was the harbourmaster with the Waterfront Com mission.

Sister Marie-Th6rdse In Auckland on December 26, 1981.

From the order of St Joseph of Cluny, Sister Marie-Therese spent 15 years in service in the Cook Islands.

G. Ross Simpson In Kuaotunu. New Zealand, on November 2, aged 76.

Mr Simpson had 32 years service with Burns Philp (SS) Co Ltd in Fiji as shipping manager, and then manager of the company’s Suva branch, until his retirement in 1967.

Lt-Gen Sir Edmund

Herring

In Melbourne, Australia, on January 5. aged 89.

In the Pacific War, Sir Edmund commanded the First Australian Corps and New Guinea Force between October 1942 and August 1943.

A long-serving Lieutenant- Governor of Victoria in the postwar period. Sir Edmund was given a slate funeral in Melbourne on January 11.

Graham Douglas Laing

On Norfolk Island in January, from a heart attack.

Known as ’Hippo’, Graham Laing was born in New Zealand but spent most of his life on Norfolk. He joined the Austra lian army and went overseas during World War 11, spending four years in a German prison camp.

He married Frances Snell in 1950, and spent many years farming at Anson Bay before moving to Ball Bay.