Transition

Appointed: Dr Ross Mitchell, Goodman Fielder Wattie director based in Auck land, as executive responsible for all op erations of the group in Fiji. Dr Mitchell is managing director of the New Zealand Cereal Milling and Poultry Group.

Recognised: Mrs Winnie Safkaur, of Kokopo, East New Britain, for her work in producing primary health education aids for schools. Mrs Safkaur, 40, has been teaching for 22 years. Her recognition came in the form of a World Health Organisa tion Commemorative Medal, an award not previously bestowed outside the Health Department.

Mrs Safkaur modestly viewed the award as being on behalf of all teachers sharing in health education programs, and as a measure of recognition of the growing stature of professional women.

Died: Mr Bob Parkes, a pioneer of the travel industry in Fiji, in Suva on August 30, aged 73. Mr Parkes served in the New Zealand Army in World War II in Fiji and in the Middle East, returning to Fiji after the war and joining White’s Travel Serv ice, where package tours from Australia and New Zealand were first put together.

Died: Papa Taru Moana, president of the Koutu Nui, a body of chiefs and sub chiefs, in Arorangi, Cook Islands, on Au gust 1. Papa Tarn was a church leader and was elected to the first parliament of the Cook Islands in 1965; he remained a member until 1974. He is survived by two daughters, three sons and many grandchildren.

Died; Mr Ranga Reddy, Suva busi nessman, aged 60, on September 11. A partner in the Reddy Construction Com pany Ltd, Mr Reddy was also a keen golfer, representing Fiji at the South Pacific Games in 1969, 1971 and 1975. He was a member of the Fiji Film Censor Board for five years. He is survived by two sons, Na rayan and Rajesh, and a daughter, Subha Laxmi Rajan.

Died: Father Patrick O’Reilly, SM, his torian and researcher at the Musee de 1’Homme in Paris on August 6, aged 88.

Father O’Reilly first worked in the Solo mons in 1935-36 and after World War II devoted himself to South Pacific bibli ography and history. He published an notated bibliographies on Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Tahiti, and wrote defini tive studies of personalities of those countries.

He focused on Tahiti for his historical studies, and contributed much to the cre ation of the Musee Gauguin in Tahiti and the Musee de Tahiti et des lies. □