DEATHS of Islands People

Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV At Matautu, Upolu Island, West ern Samoa, on July 9, aged 61.

Tupua, prime minister of Western Samoa from 1970 to 1973 and for a short spell in 1975 and 1976, was born in Apia on May 8, 1922. His father was the legendary Tamasese who was the leader of the Mau Movement against the New Zealand ad ministration of the 1920 s and who was imprisoned by the ad ministration for almost a year in New Zealand and subsequently killed by New Zealand police during the so-called Black Satur day incident in 1929.

Tupua was educated at the Marist Brothers School at Mulivai and at Malifa High School. He subsequently attend ed the Fiji School of Medicine from 1940 to 1945 from which he graduated as a medical practitioner.

After graduation, he served as a doctor with the Western Sa moan Health Department until 1969.

In 1965, Tupua succeeded to the Tupua Tamasese title, one of the four Tama Aiga (Royal Families) titles of Western Samoa, and as such was qual ified to be a member of the Council of Deputies. He was duly appointed a member in July 1968.

However, he resigned his pos ition to run for parliament in 1970 for the territorial consti tuency of Lufilufi and Falefa.

He easily won the seat and, in parliament, combined forces with his cousin Tupuola Efi to snatch the prime minister’s post from the legendary Mataafa.

However, in 1973 Tupua lost to Mataafa but Mataafa appoint ed Tupua as Minister of Justice, the position he held until Mataafa’s death in 1975. Tupua was then called upon by the Head of State to continue Mataafa’s term.

In 1976, Tupuola Efi decisive ly defeated Tupua in the par liamentary election for prime minister. Shortly after, Tupua resigned his parliamentary seat to once again become a member of the Council of Deputies, a posi tion greatly upgraded in pay and privilege by the new government.

In his last days, he made peace with all the members of his fami

ly, friends and acquaintances and gave instructions about family affairs and funeral arrangements.

For example, he wanted Western Samoa’s High Commissioner to New Zealand, Feesago S.

Fepuleai, to make the eulogy on his behalf.

On Sunday, July 10, a parade led by the chiefs and orators of the Tama Aiga’s families and police brought Tupua’s coffin to the Mulivai cathedral.

Police pallbearers carried the coffin followed by Tupua’s wife, Masiofo Rita, sister Suilolo A.

Leavasa, and relatives.

The route from Malaeomatagofie to Mulivai was lined by school children and members of organisations in their various uniforms.

Cardinal Pio Taofmuu con ducted the Mass. Prime Minister Tofilau, High Commissioner Feesago and Masiofo Rita made the eulogies.

After Mass, another slow pro cession headed for Tiafau to the burial ground of the Tupua Tamasese family where the final rites were performed.

Sir Philip Strong

In Wangaratta, Victoria, Aust ralia, in July, aged 83.

Sir Philip Strong was a former Bishop of New Guinea, and later the Anglican Primate of Australia.

He was consecrated and en throned as Bishop of New Guinea in 1936. He remained bishop of the diocese until his election to the archbishopric of Brisbane in 1962.

Sir Philip refused to tell his missionaries to leave the country during the Japanese invasion. As the Japanese troops landed, he told Anglican missionaries: “The histroy of the Church tells us that missionaries do not think of themselves in danger and crisis, but of the master who called them to give their all, and of the people whom he trusts them to serve and love to the uttermost. . .

“We shall not leave. We shall stay by our trust. We shall stand by our vocation. We do not know what it may mean to us. Many already think us fools and mad. what does that matter?”

Controversy over his stand at that time has continued over the years.

Peter Plowman In Apia in July, aged 80.

Tasmanian-bom Peter Plow man began his long association with the Pacific Islands when he

managed plantations in Solomon

Islands and the then New Heb rides in the 1920 s and ’3os.

After a period in Sydney in the late ’3os, he joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1940, and saw service both with that force and with the Royal Navy in many theatres during World War 11,

specialising in explosives

disposal.

He first went to Apia in 1947, as manager for A. G. Smyth & Co. Ltd., and later in business on his own account as importer and exporter, and Customs and ship

ping agent.

He was elected to the Legisla tive Assembly of Western Samoa in 1954, and served in various

capacities until retiring from

politics in 1966. During his polit

ical career he formed a close friendship with the first Prime Minister of Independent Western Samoa, Mataafa.

From 1966 he served as chair man of the Apia Harbor Board.

Among his many hobbies was an unusual and highly skilled

activity; building billiard tables.

0 Mr Plowman s last letter to PIM appears in “Letters”, this issue.

Ray Smith

At Bonriki, Kiribati, in June, drowned while swimming on the ocean reef.

A British technical co operation officer, Mr Smith had been training local plumbers in Kiribati since 1978.

Jack Bolton Bailey In Sydney in June, aged 73.

Mr Bailey began his working

life with W. R. Carpenter in Papua New Guinea, and in 1935 established Southern Pacific In surance Co. Ltd., which con ducted business extensively throughout Australia, PNG, and

Fiji.

In 1975, following his retire ment, he accepted an appoint ment as chief representative of the Zurich-based Union Reinsur ance Company in Australia and the Pacific Islands.

He will be greatly missed by

friends and colleagues who have known him over so many years.

Martin Palisi.

George A. Feigen

George A. Feigen, who wasrpro fessor of physiology at Stanford Medical School, died at Stan ford, California, USA, on May 22, 1983, aged 66. With his wife Priscilla he first came to Sol omon Islands in 1972 to visit a friend, Alistair Macbeth, who was then headmaster of the King George VI School in Honiara.

On that visit he met Father Nor man Arkwright who was stationed at Buma on Malaita.

After Mr Macbeth left to return home to England the Feigens made two more visits to the Solomons and kept in close touch with Father Norman and his col leagues at St Joseph’s School, Tenaru, where he now teaches.

George Feigen loved the Sol omons and the people he met there, many of them students at KG VI, and he will also be remembered by the staff at Bu ma. The Feigens were planning another trip to the Solomons in September of this year.