MISSIONS IN THE PACIFIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 77, 31 March 1928, Page 14

MISSIONS IN THE PACIFIC.

NEED FOR HELPERS. The importance of medical work in the islands of the Melanesian group was stressed by Archbishop Averill yesterday afternoon at the gathering of welcome held at St. Sepulchre's schoolroom

for Dr. and Mrs. Maybury, the Rev. L. E. Cartridge, and the Rt. Rev. F. M. Molyneaux. The archbishop spoke of the great need for medical knowledge in the work, and said that instead of one medical man they wanted three. The Church appreciated the self sacrifice, he continued, which had sent Dr. Maybury and Mrs. Maybury, who was a trained nurse, into the Melanesian mission field. They looked towards Auckland as their centre and they would need all moral and spiritual support from the New Zealand Church that members could give. He also extended a welcome to the Rev. L. E. Cartridge, who was going to the mandated territory in New Britain. An assistant bishop would be consecrated for the northern territory shortly, and with such men going into the mission field the future must be bright. He welcomed them to Auckland.

In replying Bishop Molyneaux said that Melanesia was united to New Zealand by a strong bond of love and fellowship. He felt more and more convinced that New Zealand had an affection for Melanesian, and the work in Melanesia would depend for a very long time on the prayers, as well as the support received from New Zealand. During last year he had visited some 208 villages usually for one night, and there had seen some ghastly sights of disease and terrible sores. He wa? grateful that Dr. Maybury and his wife and volunteered, especially as Dr. Maybury had passed second out of fifty in the course for tropical medicine. A man with such knowledge would have a great effect on the mission work when the hospital in the Solomons started. From his heart be welcomed them. Rabaul. which will be the centre of the work from the equator, was where the headquarters would be.

Dr. Maybury, in thanking those present for their welcome, said that only two medical men had previously been in the work. One was a priest who died there and one, Dr. Marshall, and the nurses had done an immense amount of good work, trying to cure the many diseases peculiar to the tropics. Tropical sores were a great trouble. Malaria and other diseases also were a terrible handicap. It was hoped to have a headquarters somewhere in the Folomons, and another doctor would come out if the finances of the mission allowed. Towards the expenses of the hospital the mission had £2000, and he hoped to hear that England had found another £1000, which would allow of the hospital being erected. He hoped New Zealand would in the future be able to help the medical work; even small donations like packages of bandages would be acceptable. The area of the mandated territory was nearly a million square miles. There were about 1500 white people, of which 500 were in Rabaul, in which the Australian Government was doing good work in training voung people as medical controls and sending them back to the villages. A large secondary school also teaches the boys English, and in four years' time they learn to read, and write like copperplate. A professor of agriculture had been appointed in Babaul to study the native plants and assist the natives.