OUTPOSTS OF EMPIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19952, 22 May 1928, Page 7

OUTPOSTS OF EMPIRE.

Writing in an exchange, an Australian who is resident magistrate for the southeastern part of Papua, describes the position held there by Mrs. Elizabeth Mahony, one of Papua's best-known and most highly-respected pioneers. "In the course of my official duties," he states, "I have had the pleasure of visiting Sudest and the neighbouring islands, and am well acquainted with Mrs. Mahony. She is indeed a wonderful woman. The last occasion on which I saw her was at sea off Sudest on her ketch Mekara. She was then returning from a fishing and trading trip, and had with her some 30 or 40 natives, mostly boys who had been fishing for her. She was the only white person aboard the vessel, and had been out for about a fortnight. The natives of Sudest and other islands in the vicinity had the greatest respect for Mrs. Mahony, and many of them referred to her as 'Mother', indeed, she has acted as mother to many of them. Mrs. Mahony was a great hostess, and was famed for her hospitality to 'white* visitors. "Newspapers are daily chronicling the wonderful achievements of our womenfolk, and in the lady above mentioned we have one whose deeds of kindness and se'.f-sac-rifice would fill volumes. She . truly helped tn blare the trail in an 'outpost of our Empire." "