FILM OF MUNDA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 29 September 1943, Page 4

FILM OF MUNDA

SCENE OF RIGOURS OF WAR FORMER MISSION STATION NOW A SHAMBLES Munda, a former Japanese base in the Solomons, which was recaptured by the Allies after hard fighting, has been a conspicuous place name in the Pacific War. A film of the locality is now being shown in Nelson by the Rev. A. H. Scriven, general secretary of the Methodist Foreign Missionary Society of New Zealand. This was taken in September, 1941, before the Japanese came. Munda in those days was the home of the Methodist District Training Institution. The buildings were situated on the Kokengelo Hill, beneath which the Americans were forced to tunnel to oust the Japanese. From that institution go out many trained Solomon Islanders to do not only church work amongst their own people but also to undertake education and medical service. They have done excellent work in all these fields and the welfare of the islanders has been much improved by their ministrations. Bombs have long since blown all the buildings of this institution to pieces and, when the war drums throb no longer in the Solomons—or perhaps before —the missionary leaders will return to continue their work. Another place in the Solomons of special interest to Nelsonians is the island of Vella Lavella. At the mission station there is a hospital which houses the Gorman wards, which have been made possible by the generous Gorman bequest. Mr Scriven will leave to-morrow for Murchison and the West Coast in continuation of his tour.