Henry Harrison Vaskess

Henry Harrison Vaskess (~1891-1969)

• Colonial Secretary at the time the bones were brought to Fiji.
  • The Colonial Secretary was virtually a dictator. The Governor was a ceremonial figure and might set policy, but the Colonial Secretary was the CEO. He had three telephones on his desk, gave orders, and approved spending. ( RG)

• "Prince of Bureaucrats" not just because he had an iron-bottom and a mind for endless details, but because he was incorruptable (Tofiga).
• Tofiga agrees that Vaskess was not the kind of man to be careless about his responsibilities. "You could squeeze blood from a stone more easily than you could get money from Vaskess." He thinks Vaskess retired in the mid-40s (easily checked in the Civil Lists). He was a good man, careful and responsible. His wife was in Australia. His room was barren--he was clearly not in the habit of taking things from the office to decorate his quarters. Vaskess did a lot of exercise to keep fit. He walked from his home each day up the Museum hill to the office, carrying a bag of sandwiches for his lunch and having a smoke. He would arrive before 8 AM and leave at 5:30 PM.

(In 1946, Vaskess helped Tofiga's home community on Vaitup in Tuvalu (formerly the Ellice Islands) purchase the island of Kioa in Fiji.)

• Short ad found in an old magazine in Auckland: "H. H. Vaskess (Proprietor). Fairview House, Suva Fiji."
• Probate #10701.
• Born ~1891. Died July 7, 1969. Death record #65/69.
• His wife, Coral Loloma (Letford) Vaskess, died in Canberra on 20 Jul 1990.
• Two sons:
  • Keith Harrison Vaskess, born 23 Aug 1924.
  • Colin Francis Vaskess, born 12 Sep 1927.