MELANESIAN MISSION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 28 December 1925, Page 7

MELANESIAN MISSION.

WORK AT NEW GUINEA. NEW AREA PROPOSED. The recent three months’ ciiu.se in she Pacific of the Melanesian Mission steamer Southern Cross contains special significance in tihe fact that a visit was paid for the first time to New Guinea, now under a British mandate, but fbrmerely a German possession. The Bishop of Melanesia, Dr. J, M. Steward, who was accompanied by his assistant, Bishop F. M. Molyneux, visited Riabaul, New iiuinea. on the vessel and as la. result it- is probable that negotiations (between the Australian Board of Missions and the Bishop of Melanesia will <see extensive church work carried out- in this area. Nothing has yet been settled definitely, <and future operations will no doubt de.pend upon the outcome- of arrangements made with the Australian Board. it. has been suggested that Australia may -appoint a ibisihop' to take over the new territory of Melanesia, while proposals have been made to send missionaries and establish the church on a 400-niile stretch of the (southern coast of New Britain, which lies off the northwest coast of New Guinea. The Rev. F. R.. Bishop, representing ,ithe- Australian Board of Missions, is ja!ready stationed at R alba ill, and prospects of carrying on work among the natives were discussed with him. Interesting reference to New Guinea and the field it opens for mission work is made in la report by the Bishop of Melanesia. “The general scenery is much like that of the Solomon Islands,” he says, “but the harbour of Rabaul is unsurpassed by any .in the British Protectorate. Completely landlocked and appearing to be almost a circle, it lies surrounded by hills, land the township itself is almost hidden among trees. From the verandah of Government House, which is perched on the top- of a range of hills, one is able to gather something of the unusual, size of the place, with its European, native, Chinese and Malay quarters. It is a township with some 500 inhabitants, with well laid out roads sheltered by avenues of fine trees. Motor-cars, of which there are >sa,id to be no lower than 250 in the place, are much in evidence. As soon as we hail passed the doctor and satisfied the customs we went up to the remains of a fine- wharf, built by the Germans, but- .accidentally burned during the early years- of the Austnalian occupation.” The party visited Yunapope. the headquarters of the mission of the Sac-red Heart, where over 100 Eluro--peaim and natives are provided for daily. Here examples of the work are .-ecu. including a wonderful pro-cat bedial built of wood and covered with iron painted to resemble stone. This work was done by the sisters. Colonel Hore. a district- magistrate, was able to provide much useful information about the part of New Britain -it is hoped to work. At the Government school an example was provided of what an ailministration desirous of benefiting the matives could do. “Apart from the usual school subjects there is an industrial school which lias been able to prove that the natives (-ii these islands are really capable of instruction. On all sides one was struck with the sincere desire of all, from the .Administrator down, to do their utmost- for the native. W hen one hears that £56.000 has been spent on medical work alone for the native, one gasps, ‘O sisio omnes.' There is no doubt the determination on the part of Australia loyally to carry out- the duties mandated to her. Medical, educational. industrial, anthropological land agricultural work is all being carried on by-the Government with a view to ameliorating the condition of the native and improving his country. This, is what one has dreamed that a protectorate might realty be.” Looking back on the visit one hardly knew what- to admire most, concluded Bishop Steward, who dec-hired that great possibilities presented themselves for work among the natives in parts where no other body hat! ventured.