MELANESIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 34, 8 August 1925, Page 8

MELANESIA AND NEW ZEALAND

CURIOUS HISTORICAL INCIDENT.

It is interesting to note how the Mesanesian Mission became connected with New Zealand. When Bishop Selwyn came out to New Zealand in 1842, as first Bishop of New Zealand, his letters patent defined his diocese as extending to 34 degrees north latitude. This was a clerk's error; it should have been 34 degrees south latitude. But Bishop Selwyn, instead of returning tho document to have it altered, as any ordinary man would have done, regarded it as the Divine will that the work of his diocese should ext 2nd to the islands of the Pacific; consequently he made several trips to the Melanesian Islands in a little schooner called the Undine, of twenty-three tons—thus establishing the Melanesian Mission, and making it part of the Anglican Church in New Zealand.

The first Bishop of Melanesia was Bishop Patteson, a remarkable man, who was murdered by the natives at Nukapu, in the Santa Cruz Islands, in 1871. The next Bishop, was John Selwyn, son of Bishop Selwyn, who founded the mission. Then came Bishop Cecil Wilson, .who ;is now Bishop of .Bunbnry, Western Australia. He was succeeded l>y Bishop Cecil Wood, who retired thi/mgh'ill-health ,nnd is now Assistant Bishop of Newcastle, England. The present Bishop is the Eight "Rev. J. Al. .Steward, who will preach the ordination sermon at the consecration of the Rev. l'\ M. JMolvneux to-morrow.

The new Assistant Bishop of Melanesia will probably be stationed in the New Hebrides, the southern portion of the diocese. The diocese includes the Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz, Reef Island*, Torre?, jmrl other islands.

Wellington residents will have an opportunity ot hearim; aiyJ meeting the new Bishop of Melanesia at »• welcome