CHRISTMAS CHEER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 215, 11 September 1931, Page 10

CHRISTMAS CHEER.

FOR LONEUY MISSIONARIES.

MONEY NEEDED FOB

MELANESIA,

SOUTHERN CROSS SAILS SHORTLY.

A reminder that Christmas will soon be round again is contained in the fact that the Melanesian Mission steamer Southern Cross, which is to sail from Auckland at mid-day an .Tuesday next on her.usual three months' trip to the south-western Pacific, will carry,a number . of "tuck boxes" containing Christmas luxuries for workers in the distant, mission fields. The. '-'tuck boxes" rare gifts from- well-wishers in ■ Ghristchurch, vvho: desire- to .give the- missionaries something'that they do not' get from tie usual" sources.' v ' ; As passengers the Southern Cross Will carry ."Bishop Molyneaux,. Bishop, of Melanesia,) Bishop Dickens on,, recently consecrated r assistant-bishop,. .Sister Stead, Sister Leishman,: and Miss- H. Brbughton. : Sister -Stead is- to ; go to Bugotu, Sister Leishman \o Torgil and Miss Broughton to Raga. ~ - ; Included .in. the cargo' will be .the material; for a. complete house, which; is to be- built.for a .missionary stationed at'a lonely outpost in,the Reef Islands. Eor several years' \ the' J&is-. sionary has been'living in: a native v hut. The new hut, .which 4s the; gift .of,,an Englishwoman, in. response to ati appeal by the bishop some time ago, will'be light and ; unlined, but is' likely to "be greatly appreciated by anyone who has for- a lcng time been, living , iii a native ! hut. The. vessel will also: take .6000 concrete blocks'to be Used in the building of the hospital on-the island ;of Malaita, in the Solomons." .'.'.' ~' [, ',' ' It is fairly common knowledge .that the mission is feeling th r e financial'strin'gency very acutely, despitethe fact that the' strictest economies are being exercised ; Recently the salaries of the staff were reduced from £150 to £130. A step that'-is;. greatly.' regretted but is considered unavoidable has been the reducing of the number of pupils at the mission schools. So bad is the. position that; early next year one of the central schools at Panua, on the island of. St. Christoval, is to be closed.- This step is much more serious than would at first appear, as it will affect the supply of native teachers in future years. Thus the growth of the native church is likely to be retarded. It is expected that the Southern Cross will'return to . Auckland shortly before Christmas. She will then lie up for the hurricane season and in April will leave on her last trip in the service of the niis-; •sion, as later in the year she is to be replaced by a smaller auxiliary schooner which is now being built in England. The Southern Cross will be offered for sale wheri she • has completed her last trip under the pennant of the mission.