Death of Mrs. Mollie

Lett

death occurred in Melbourne, on December 9, of one of Papua’s best known residents —Mrs. Mollie Lett, wife of Mr. Lewis Lett. She had been suffering a serious and painful illness for some months; but, characteristically, she kept the fact secret, and her death came as a painful shock to her numerous friends.

Her father was Colonel Andrew Hon man, a very prominent medical man in Melbourne. He gave distinguished ser vice in World War I, and he was chief medical officer at Rabaul in the early ’twenties. In 1913, on a visit to Papua, he was accompanied by his daughter, Ida. She liked the country, and became a school teacher at Woodlark Island.

Her sister, Mollie, visited her there in 1914; and it was then that she met Lewis Lett, whom she married in 1916. Ida married Mr. Nurton, a patrol officer of the New Guinea service, who was very severely injured in an attack by natives about 1935.

Living in Port Moresby, Mollie Lett, with her infinite capacity for making friends, became well and happily known to most residents. She was a greatly esteemed friend of the famous Governor, the late Sir Hubert Murray, and her keen interest in and wide knowledge of native administration were of assistance to him on many occasions. She always was ready to assist in any public move ment. When World War II came, she immediately offered her services to the Red Cross, and carried on much of the work of the local depot, with the assist ance of one native helper.

Mollie Lett was the first Islands cor respondent of the “Pacific Islands Monthly,” when it was established 16 years ago, and she carried on that work until the evacuation of women from the Territories took place at the end of 1941.

She read widely, observed keenly, and she had a remarkable memory, so that every thing that she wrote for the “PIM” had definite value.

Very many people, who valued her friendship, and enjoyed the hospitality of herself and her well-known husband, will sincerely regret her passing.