NEW GUINEA MISSION VENTURE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 79, 14 March 1936, Page 8

NEW GUINEA MISSION VENTURE

Australia and New Zealand missionaries will probably play an important part in the Melanesian Mission’s hazardous crusades in Australian mandated territory in Northern New Guinea whieh is being inaugurated towards tho end of 1936. Bishop Baddeley is at present in England, and. will choose two pioneer missionaries from a number of adventurous young churchmen. His first choice will be Rev. W. K. Castle, a New Zealander. The mission 's original proposal to purchase a plane has been modified. Missionaries will proceed to the interior by New Guinea Airways plaue. In this original proposal it was intended to set aside immediately £2OOO for the purchase of an aeroplane to transport the missionaries to the ,;ur.gle settlements. It was intended to name the pfnne “The Southern Crow of the Air” following the tradi“<ju established by the mission’s sjve.i 'bps, all of which have been named “Southern Cross. ’ ’

Bishop Baddelev told the Sunday Sun representative that the missionaries would probably fly to one , f the farthest landing grounds, push on into tho jungle, and establish a base ca.nu. “Their real task will then begin,” ■id !cj the Bt-I.o;., “the uosMunur.-v venturing into trackless and praelieully unknown country to make friendly contact with tho natives.

“It will certainly be a risk" tininess The tribes are believed to be 200.000 strong, and only a few have been in contact with whites. “Ours will be the fi.st uiissionar-.es to penetrate their territory.

“The work will be expensive owing to the difficulties of communication, The task will be difficult, but no more difficult than that which faced missionaries in the early days of the Solomon Islands Mission, because the people are of similar type,” concluded the Bishop,