deaths

Poko Ingram At Nikao, Cook Islands, on September 14, aged 65.

Poko Ingram was born at Maraerenga, the daughter of William and Takiora Kelly (Tongareva Rangatira from Ngati Makea).

Mrs Ingram toured New Zea land in 1934 as a member of the Cook Islands Arikis delega tion to the celebrations of the century of the Treaty of Waitangi.

In 1935 she was awarded the Sir Maui Pomare medal as the outstanding pupil of Avarua School, which was presented to her by William Forbes, Prime Minister of New Zealand.

She married Jim Ingram at the Avarua church in 1939. The minister was the head of the London Missionary Society, Rev. R. L. Challis (Tiare Orometua). A principal guest was Judge H. F. Ayson, who was resident commissioner in Rarotonga for 25 years.

Mrs Ingram and her husband went into business as J.P.I. She can be said to be the forerunner of many Cook Islands business women today.

The general election of 1961 saw Mrs Ingram elected to the Legislative Assembly for the district of Te-Au-O-Tonga. It was this Assembly which had to debate and finally approve the first Constitution of the Cook Islands..

She represented the Cook Islands at a South Pacific Com mission meeting in American Samoa and in 1977 led the Cook Islands delgation to the Conference on Women’s Rights at Suva. She continued her work in this field until her death.

Her work for the ad vancement of women will en dure not only in the Cook Islands but throughout the South Pacific Island countries.

Charles Townsend Halstead In England earlier this year.

Charles Halstead was a for mer Fiji cricketing personality, and manager of Cable and Wireless (Fiji) Ltd., during the 19305.

According to a letter from the Fiji High Commissioner in Lon don, Ratu Josua Toganivalu.

“He appears in Philip Snow’s book Cricket in Fiji and was a member of the Fiji team which played the Maorilanders in 1936.”

That particular national team was captained by the late Ratu Sir Edward Cakobau, Ratu Josua added.

Fr Marion Ganey In Suva on September 23, aged 80.

Fr Ganey, American-born and a member of the Jesuit order, first went to Fiji in 1954 on an invitation of the colonial governor, Sir Ronald Garvey.

His work in establishing the credit union movement in the British Honduras had impress ed Sir Ronald, who was pre viously governor in that British colony, known today as Belize.

Arrangements were made to have Fr Ganey attached in Fiji for six months to set up a credit union system.

Fr Ganey stayed longer and was directly responsible for the establishment of 114 active credit unions, which collectively hold a membership of 23,500.

Fr Ganey first worked in Nadroga together with Mr Jone Naisara (now Minister for Natu ral Resources) and Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna to start introduc ing the basic concepts of the credit union movement.

In 1970, Fr Ganey built a school in Suva with finance from the widow of Roy Bergen gren, a leading figure in the movement in America.

Bergengren House became the training institute for credit unions.

Fano Shimasaki At Pago Pago on September 13, aged 71.

Former Senator Fano Shima saki of Fagaalu served in the Senate for the Ma’oputasi Dis trict for two terms from 1969- 1972. He was also a deacon of the Faga’alu Christian Con gregational Church of Amer ican Samoa for several years.

He began serving the Amer ican Samoa Government in

1937 as a bus driver and was promoted to be the head mechanic for the motor pool.

After two years with the Pearl Harbor Shipyard, he returned to work for ASG as manager of the motor pool until he retired at age 62 in 1975.

He was awarded the title “Fano” in 1947.

Raghubar Singh At Lautoka, Fiji, on September 21, aged 50.

Mr Singh was chairman of Lautoka’s general advisory council, the rural local authority, and the board of visitors of Lautoka Hospital.

He represented the Lautoka/ Yasawa district in the Education Forum for many years and was a member of the board of governors of Natabua High School as well as a committee member of many schools in the district.

Mr Prasad was a member of the divisional development committee and the first Fiji scouts jamboree.

He was a former proprietor of the cartage contractors, Western Haulage, the manag ing director of Chanan Singh and Co. and a partner in Lautoka Motor Parts.

Mr Prasad was made a Jus tice of Peace in January, 1978 and was awarded the British Empire Medal in December, 1980.

Quentin Quentin Baxter In Wellington on September 24, aged 62.

Professor Baxter was New Zealand’s foremost authority on international and constitutional law.

He was a former chairman of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and had been a member of the In ternational Law Commission for 13 years.

He helped New Zealand fight a test case on French nuclear testing in the Pacific in the International Court of Justice in 1973-74 and had recently been investigating the possibility of drafting a New Zealand Bill of Rights.

He served as an adviser to a number of island governments in the drafting of their constitu tions.

Richard Lobendahn At Goroka, Papua New Guinea, in August, aged 63, was one of the most skilled printers in Fiji and was for many years production manager of the Fiji Times and Herald Ltd.

He and his wife Meifatu were visiting their second son Dan when the fatal heart attack occurred.

Dick Lobendahn belonged to a printing family which, so far,has spanned three genera tions of service to the industry in Fiji. His father Vincent, of Sri Lankan Dutch burgher ances try, came to Fiji at the end of last century to work in the government Printery. Dick was educated at Marist Brothers and then joined The Fiji Times as a linotype operator. He was later joined by his brother Harry and half-brother Paul. He also trained his son Richard who is now production manager for the Fiji Sun.

“Dick was a splendid crafts man; a stickler for quality who did a very great deal for the industry in Fiji,” said Pacific Publications publisher and ex general manager of the Fiji Times, Garry Barker. ”He, and the present production mana ger, Magnus Mitchell, took the Times printery to its present pre-eminent place in the Paci fic. They demanded, and got, international quality.”

“I remember a particularly difficult machine we had bought-a collator-stitcher-trim mer by Martini-Mueller. The Australian installing engineers had not been able to make it work properly, ” Mr Barker said. ”1 asked Dick to help and, very quietly, and although he had not seen such a machine be fore, he had it up and running properly. He remained with us, as a consultant, under Magnus Mitchell until last year. Then he suffered his first heart attack and decided to take it a bit easier. His is a very sad loss, not only to the industry, but to the Suva community.”