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BAKER, Graeme
Graeme BAKER (21 February 2004, aged 61) Graeme went to PNG in 1967 to work in the Department of Primary Industry as an Entomologist. His first posting was to Popondetta where he was involved with the outbreak of the Pantorhytes weevil on the Soldier and Smallholder Settlements in the Northern Province and some in the East New Britain area. He also worked in the Milne Bay, Morobe and Western Highlands Provinces, mainly on grasshoppers and other pests. He commenced work as a locust and grasshopper entomologist with the Department of Agriculture, NSW, at the Biological and Chemical Research Institute, Rydalmere in 1975 and remained there until its closure in 1997.
Neville, a former Member of Parliament, passed away in Port Moresby. He became the Member for Menyamya in 1982 and held that seat for two terms. He also had the position of Minister for Transport.
Alan CHARLES (7 March 2004, aged 78) Alan was born and educated in Goulburn, NSW. He won a Department of Agriculture cadetship, earned his BScAgr with first class honours from Sydney University in 1948, and won an award to earn his MSc from Cambridge. While he was studying in England his fiancée, nursing sister Gwen Guymer, went over to join him and they were married in Cambridge. Returning to Australia in 1971 he served the rest of his career with CSIRO in Canberra, rising to the position of Manager, Policy and Planning, of the Institute of Animal and Food Production and Processing, responsible for more that 1500 staff, including more than 500 scientists. He retired about 1990. In recognition of his outstanding work in agriculture and research administration, he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology. He is survived by his wife Gwen, two daughters, a son and eight grandchildren. Arthur Charles
John Arthur CHIVERALL (20 April 2004, aged 68) John was with the Department of Education in Port Moresby, later moving to Brisbane. John is survived by his wife, Clare, and their children Anthony and Paula. Info from The Courier Mail, 24 April 2004
Frank Robert COLEMAN (11 February 2004, aged 66) Frank first went to PNG in 1956 after training at ASOPA. After a week in Port Moresby he was sent to Rabaul and after some time there was transferred to Madang. From Madang he went to Wewak as Collector of Customs where he stayed until 1970. He then went to Lae to take over as Collector when Jack Goad retired.
Dr Donald DROVER (15 March 2004, aged 76) A respected member of the PNGAA Committee, Don grew up in Narrandera. He later graduated from the University of Sydney with a BSc degree, continuing on to the University of Dundee in Scotland. He then became Senior Lecturer in Soil Chemistry at the University of Western Australia in Perth during which time he published around 40 technical and research papers and was awarded his Doctorate. In 1960 Dr Drover became Professor of Agriculture, Biochemistry and Soil Science at the University of Khartoum in the Sudan, spending five years there. In 1966 he became Foundation Professor of Chemistry at the newly established University of Papua New Guinea. William ‘Bill’ DUTTON (15 February 2004) Having grown up on his parents’ farm at Maleny, Queensland, Bill joined the 5th Light Horse (later to become the 5th Motorised Regiment). Advancing his age from 17 to the required 18 years, he enlisted as a Trooper to commence military training and was subsequently posted to New Guinea with the 19th Brigade where he saw action in various areas along the North Coast of New Guinea.
Denis HUGGINS (22 March 2004, aged 79) Denis grew up in Ashbury and when he completed his schooling he began an apprenticeship training to become a Fitter and Turner. He was 15 years old when the Second World War began. When the war ended, Denis travelled to Rabaul to attend the wedding of his sister Peg to Matt Foley. He then worked as a mechanic for Matt in his hire car and trucking business. He met and married Pauline; Ray was born and as a family they remained in New Guinea for 30 years, only leaving after Independence. Denis and Pauline then moved to Sydney where they ran two service stations. After Pauline’s death in 1981, Denis moved to Caboolture to be with his New Guinea mates. He would frequently tell his visitors stories about life in Rabaul.
Stanley KNIGHT (16 April 2004, aged 77) Stanley went to the District Office in Rabaul in 1946. In 1948 he transferred to Daru for two years from where he went to DASF in Port Moresby until he left PNG in 1955.
Malcolm LANG (16 March 2004, aged 72) Mal spent most of his youth in the Bathurst district where he developed a love for an independent outdoor lifestyle and the natural environment. After attending boarding school in Sydney he joined the PNG Administration as a Cadet Patrol Officer in 1953. He remained in the public service in PNG for an unbroken period of thirty years. When he declined a further contract in 1983 he was Advisor to the fledgling Central Province Provincial Government. His achievements whilst participating in initial contact patrols in the Koroba area of the Southern Highlands in 1956 were described in books written by Jim Sinclair, and many will remember the wonderful dustcover photograph of Mal leading a patrol down the broken bottle country of the Strickland River Gorge. Mal continued to work in PNG until 1990, for a company which provided labour and camp management facilities for international oil companies.
Lady Yvonne Ella MANN (20 April 2004, aged 89) Devoted wife of the late Sir Alan Mann former Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea.
Much loved Mother of Vanda, Elizabeth, Caroline and Trischa. The Australian, 23 April 2004
David went to PNG at the age of three with his parents and spent 15 years there. While living in Goroka he was the only non-indigenous member of the First Goroka Scout Troop and this experience was always special to him. Ten years after leaving school David started an Asian Studies degree and became fluent in Mandarin. He then helped build Australia’s relationship with China through his diplomatic postings and work with the Department of Foreign Affairs. He was instrumental in the successful bid to provide $25 billion of Australian gas to China which, at that time, was the biggest resource contract in Australia’s history. He returned to PNG in 1998 as a diplomat and was married in 2002. David frequently visited his mother, Laura Webb, in Perth. David is survived by his wife Annmaree. Info from The West Australian, 19 May 2004
(The following was written by Flora's son, Joe, to celebrate Mutti's 100th birthday) Mutti was born in Selecia, Germany (now Poland). She was the youngest of four girls and two boys. As a young girl she moved to Alt Kuenkendorf, a small village about 80 km from Berlin, to be governess to the children of her sister Eva. There she met her husband to be, Hugo. In 1932 Mutti made a long and arduous journey alone through Poland, Russia, along the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan to Tehran to marry Hugo, who was working there. This was where Gisela and I were born. In 1941 our parents decided to return to Germany as the Russians were advancing, but this changed dramatically when my father was interned by the British. The trip back to Germany was horrendous; the Russians plundered, leaving us with only the clothes in which we were travelling.
Gwen Esther, late of Southport, Wynnum and formerly of Lae, Papua New Guinea. No further details - Info from The Courier Mail, 24 April 2004
Sir Anthony, a PNGAA member, was a former prominent Papua New Guinea MP and anti-corruption campaigner, and a member of the first class to graduate in law from the University of Papua New Guinea in 1971. His great contribution to the development of PNG began with his pioneering role in becoming the first secretary in the newly established Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade both before and after Independence. He continued to hold many roles in the private and public sectors as well as in the community; also being a leading company director and lawyer. Sir Anthony was elected to parliament in 1982 and served in various ministerial posts until 1987. In 1990 he was knighted for his contribution to public and community service. In that year, too, he became the highest ranking PNG diplomat as Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.
Beatrice, who worked for Treasury, originally came from Hobart and married John at the Rabaul Memorial Church in July 1963. In recent years they lived at Wyong. She is survived by husband, John, and sons Martin and Alan. John Stevenson
Bill joined the PNG administration in early 1946 after distinguished wartime service with the 2/22nd Commandos behind enemy lines in Timor, and first served in the Morobe District. Of academic inclination he became a specialist in Community Development and from 1960 to 1962 trained at London University and had comparative experience in India and the Phillipines.
Muriel, wife of member John Walker, had two spells in PNG. The first was in 1947-48 when she joined Johnnie in Port Moresby after several months’ separation. They lived at “Taldora” out near the aerodrome and had legendary “dings” most weekends. Daughter Susan, just over one, was very spoilt by all the men separated from their families, but it was a difficult time with not much fresh meat and vegetables. “Taldora” had wooden shutters, cement floors, no ceilings and an outdoor dunny, so it was hardly a palatial residence; nevertheless it was a very happy time. Muriel loved the climate and lifestyle of PNG and was very happy to return in 1957, when Johnnie was posted by DCA to Lae. They lived in Coronation Drive (13th Street) and enjoyed sundowners at the Lae Club and catching up with old friends from Moresby. Susan finished primary school and had two years of boarding school during their stay. Later on Susan and family returned to Port Moresby and Muriel and Johnnie were able to visit and see how things had changed. Susan Woodward
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