MELANESIAN MISSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20842, 8 April 1931, Page 10

MELANESIAN MISSION.

SOUTHERN CROSS SAILS.

MATERIALS FOR HOSPITAL.

CONCRETE BLOCKS SHIPPED.

The Melanesian Mission steamer Southern Cross sailed from Auckland at mid-day yeslc/day for the New Hebrides and Solomon Islands, with the Bishop of Melanesia, the Right Rev. F. M. Molyneux, and a number of other passengers. A celebration of the Holy Communion was held in St. Mary's Cathedral prior to the vessel's departure, Archbishop Averill officiating. After the service the mission party, members of the St. Barnabas' Association, and other friends of the mission were entertained at morning tea afc Bishopscourt by the Archbishop and Mrs. Averill.

The Southern Cross will return to Auckland in August and will sail again in September upon what may be her final voyage. She has been showing the effects of long service for some lime past and has almost reached the end of her caieer. Tenders are to bo called shortly for an auxiliary schooner to replace her.» It is not intended that the new vessel shall visit Auckland, so the old link, dating from tho foundation of the mission by Bishop Selwyn, will be broken. The passengers who sailed yesterday were Bishop Molyneux, tho Rev. A. E. and Mrs. Teall, Mrs. Sprott, the Revs. 11. J. Nind, R. S. Rudgard and R. do Voil, Sisters Guylee and Davies, and Messrs.- D. L. Francis, H. I*. Sutton and R. Clark. Mr. de Voil has come from England to join the mission. Mr. Sutton, formerly of Havelock North, has been appointed secretary to the bishop. Sister Dawes, who came first in New Zealand at tho last nursing examinations, will take up work at the mission hospital at Malaita, Solomon Islands.

Tlio steamer's cargo includes a second consignment of 4000 Auckland-made concrete blocks for the walls of the two main wards of the hospital. This form of construction has been adopted because timber buildings have a comparatively short life in the islands, and reinforced concrete requires specially skilled labour not obtainable there except at prohibitive cost. The hospital, which takes the place of one established 20 or more years ago at Maravovo, is housed in small temporaly buildings at present, but is doing excellent work in treating such tropical diseases as yaws and elephantiasis. .Lhe superintendent is Dr. L. M. Maybury, who has under him three nursing sisters. The permanent buildings have been made possible by gifts of £2OOO from an English lady, Miss H. R. Blake, and of £IOOO from another donor in England. Beside the concrete blocks, the Southern Cross is taking a large quantity of hardware and other building material for the hospital.