Memories Of "Queen Emma"

Death of Mrs. J. M. C. Forsayth

THE death occurred in Sydney, on April 15, aged 69, of Mrs. Ida Forsayth, widow of the late Mr. J. M. C. For sayth.

Mr. J. M, C.' Forsayth was the son, by her first marriage, of Mrs. Emma Kolbe.

Mrs, Kolbe was the daughter of Jonas M. Coe, United States Consul in Samoa nearly 100 years ago. Emma married Forsayth, a young Englishman, who was afterwards drowned She went to the Duke of York Islands (between New Britain and New Ireland), about 1875, as a trader and planter. She became ex ceedingly wealthy, was known through out the South Seas as 'Queen Emma,” married a German (Captain Kolbe), sold out to the German New Guinea Company for about £750,000 and died in Monte Carlo, in tragic circumstances, in 1912.

She brought several of her numerous brothers and sisters, and her son, from Samoa to New Guinea, and these were the fore-runners of several well-known New Guinea families. Her son, J. M. C.

Forsayth, became a wealthy planter and trader, and subsequently retired to Vauclu.se Hall, Vaucluse, Sydney, with a large fortune. He died several years ago.

Dr. V. W. T. McGusty, QBE, who retired some two years ago from the positions of Director of Medical Services and Sec retary for Indian Affairs in Fiji, and went to England, arrived in Sydney in April, as medical officer on an overseas ship. He was accompanied by Mrs.

McGusty. They went on to New Zealand, later; and Dr. McGusty thought it prob able that they would reside permanently in that country.