[?]ioneer of Papua

[?]ribute to a [?]ioneer of Papua

► At the time of the death of Mrs.

K. Driver, details of her life re lacking. These have now been rplied by a reader.

HE obituary of Mrs. H. K. Driver, in the PIM in December seems an inadequate recognition of a son whose connection with Papua s a long and meritorious one.

U the age of four, as Kate ihony, she was taken by her •ents, with other members of the nily, to start a new life in a mtry then practically unknown J apua. Sudest Island was their tination, where her parents tied. Gold mining, trading, chus and pearl shell fishing were ong the many activities engaged by the Mahonys.

Mrs. Elizabeth Mahony, “Queen Sudest” is well remembered for pioneering work in Papua), a 1904 Kate Mahony married Alfred George Leetch, manager John Clunn & Sons in Samarai, )ua. They later purchased Hihila ntation in Milne Bay when Mr. tch had to retire from Clunn’s ause of ill health.

Then the youngest of the five tch children was only two, Mr. tch died, leaving his wife to ry on alone with the manage it of the plantation and trade •e. here were many difficult periods, ticularly after World War I ;n copra prices slumped but Mrs. tch met these troubles with rage and determination. •er ministrations to the local ive population in sickness and ible were along the many kind -ses for which she was well

known. Amongst the natives who worked for her she was loved and respected and some of them were with her for 20 years.

In 1924 she married Mr. Jame Hollaway Driver, a plantation owner. He managed his plantations and she continued to manage hers.

They had one son, Mr. William Driver, now an Assistant District Officer at Lae, New Guinea.

Mrs. Driver was obliged to leave her plantation at short notice during World War II when the Japanese invasion threatened and she returned there for only one short visit, in 1955.

Mr. Driver died in 1948 and Mrs.

Driver lived in Sydney until two months before her death —which occurred on November 30, 1957 at

the home of her daughter Mrs Arthur Ezzy, in Queensland.

Mrs. Driver was survived by he] three sons, Frederick and Johr Leetch and William Driver; by hei two daughters Mollie and Frances: and by her sisters, Mrs. E. M Owen-Turner and Sister Taguh Mahony, both of NSW.

Rarotonga appears to be an ac cepted recreation haunt for Christ mas Island military “upper crust”

A recent party which dropped in in a Shackelton bomber of the RAF —included Air Commodore Rouls ton, Wing Commander Hinkley Commander Bruce, RN, Lt. Col White, Squadron Leader Lispino and 16 others.