THE MELANESIAN MISSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15174, 13 December 1912, Page 5

THE MELANESIAN MISSION

BISHOP WOOD'S FIRST TOUR.

PRESENT POLICY TO BE CONTINUED

By tho Melanesia!* Mission steamer Southcrn Cross, which arrived in Auckland early yesterday morning, there arrived the Bishop of Melanesia, the Right Rev. Dr. C. J. Wood. Tho Bishop has ail interesting personality, and in speaking of his diocese grows quite enthusiastic. Consecrated at succession to Bishop Wilson, only a few months ago, he went across to Sydney, and from there proceeded to Norfolk Island, the see of the diocese, where he joined the Southern ; Cross. From the island a comprehensive cruise of tho whole diocese was made, every island and station, numbering about 240, being visited, and tho usual work of tlie mission steamer carried out. In addition, the Bishop made it a personal duty to thoroughly know his new sphere of operations and lost no opportunity of inviting the white people, whether they were trader or missionary, to meet him on the steamer. In many cases it was not necessary for tho invitation to be made, as the missionaries and traders were waiting to welcome the Bishop to tho particular station. Tho natives were also very cordial in their welcome, displaying their pleasure by making his visit a holiday. Discussing the work of tho mission, Dr. Wood said no was extremely well pleased with what was being done. The work was mainly being carried on by 700 native teachers, who, in tho majority of cases, were working altogether away from white supervision and achieving _ excellent results. They were working in villages and schools and doing practically the same work as were the few white teachers possessed by the mission. He _ plainly saw that it was his policy to continue such an excellent system and to make it as efficient as possible by training tho native teachers thoroughly in the first place. The natives we I*o trained at Norfolk Island and there taught to do everything that would further tho scope and influence of the mission. They did not possess many white workers, the total, including, ladies, being only 20, and when one was compelled to leave a station tho whole work was thrown on to the native teachers. Ho had an instance of that nature at Santa Cruz, where tho white missionary had been compelled to leave the station and trust his work to his native assistants. Everything connected with the mission was in excellent working order, and all the whites were in good health, with the exception of Archdeacon Utliwatt, _ who had been compelled to take a visit to Sydney to recuperate after an attack of blackwater fever.' Discussing his trip generally, Dr. Wood said it had lasted three months and had been a delightful experience to him. Ho had found the Islands very beautiful and the natives all contented and peaceful. Unfortunately the weather throughout had not been of the best. A difficulty was being experienced almost everywhere by planters owing to the shortage of labour, but otherwise the Islands were in' a fine state. . The Bishop will remain in the city for a short time as the guest of Bishop Crossley and will attend the General Synod to be held: at Nelson.' After that ho will do work locally in the Dominion in ,the interests of the mission, and again take his departure for his diocese in the Southi ern Cross in April.