A TERRIBLE DISASTER

Evening Star, Issue 15373, 23 December 1913, Page 3

A TERRIBLE DISASTER

TO PRESBYTERIAN'- MISSION.

ERUPTION" AT AMBRYM ISLAND. ~" *J° ™ c h disiaster has ever befallen the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand in the whole of its history." said Mr P. L. Clark, when interviewed to-day with regard to the recent, volcanic eruption at Ambrym. Island. ir r Clark, if should be explained, visited the scene of the outbreak in July of this vear. Ambrym Island is situated in the centre. of the New Hebrides -roup, and is 24 miles -'one and 17 wide, '.the centre of th<* lalhiid is occupied by a circle of mountains, whose .summits rise to heidits of from 2.000 ft to 4.000 ft. The volcano k about 3.600 ft high, and has often been aficended. 'I he'population is about 6.000. the island is one of the most beautiful in the-whole group, and its latitude is about the same as that of Of ago. There are four or five. Roman Catholic churches, and two or three French priests reside there. The -N»w Zealand Church have maintained ;i mission for more than 50 vears. Twenty years, * ? o they «,ad a hospital erected near Dip Point. Dip Point, j s cnp oi tlw lv , H anehora.ges m the whole gioup. and praciicnllv every vwwl that visits the New HeAmdos calls there. Near the waterfront the New Zealand Church had built, on a stretch of land over 20 acres in area a doctors residence, a hospital to accommodate oO patients. » muses home TCsi . ftences for European assistants, and native bouses. At least £4.000 had been spent by the Church on-this property, and lccording to the latest cablegram, it' had been utterly destroyed. The hospital was admitted to be one of the lareest and best «n.uin)*d m the Pacific Island,. U r t'TLll a /"*", ° f fin " f!i «tinction. and last year refused an appointment as pri( . fessor in one of the great English mcd.-al schools. N„,-se Wright i G *i Xew Zea rh J e V Tf a fu,l - v , f ' mdifiwl ™- Til CJiutch had arranged to send out a second doctor and a second nurse next May La*t year the British Government made'? voluntary grant of £IOO towards the cost to contribute at least £SO annuallv toS tl, "frP- r T ! ,P c * b! <*™™ stated that the. whole of that had been swept away wh,ch_ meant that no such disaster h.\d ever betallei, the Church • In reply to a question as to what tho pnncirm occupations of the natives were! Mr.Chrk said that they mostly worked on tho plantations, and traded largely in I copra aiK dried encoanut, of which they exported large quantities monthly. " Mr Clark added that the native* , TPr . fmongßt the worst type of heathens n naft- Dr Bowie had more than once been " danger of losing his life. Tho Ch ch had arranged to cable £IOO forthwith for P-ny emergency, but were waiting oadvice rom Dr Bowie. There Wr0 o onlv op vhjte people on the island. Air household consisted of hin Majesty 8 ship Dart was j„ tho neighbor mimon property „„, not . ,l am "j™ team ~P r„ J, ~( f' l lon , 'T\°Ut Tor safety thewarship had to .move on."