PIONEER MISSIONARY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21744, 8 March 1934, Page 6

PIONEER MISSIONARY

taupo Memorial unveiled v WORK OF REV. H. J. FLETCHER i / ' "■ [I'HOJC OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT | ■' TA'UPO, Wednesday Thirty years of missionary service in the Taupo country were recalled on Sunday evening when, in the presence of a large congregation, a memorial to the late Rev. Henry James Fletcher was unveiled in St. Paul's Church, Taupo. jMr. Fletcher, the first Presbyterian minister to reside in the Taupo district, was the pioneer missioner of the Maoxi / Mission established by his Church, and in addition became one of the leading authorities on Maori legend, history and customs. St. Paul's, the first church erected in Taupo, was designed by Mr. Fletcher and erected largoly by his own labour. The service was conducted b.y the Rev. G. Budd, superintendent of home and Maori missions, assisted by the Rev. J. (Sr. Laughton, assistant superintendent of the Maori mission, and by the Rev. A. McKenzie, Mr. John Moffatt and IVjfr. Hemi Nikora, Of the Maori mission.

The memorial was unveiled by Mrs. Fletcher, who was accompanied by her son, Mr. Harry Fletcher. It consists of a rimu Communion table and minister's chair, the latter bearing an inscription in English and Maori, with two flower ,vase 3 set ..on pedestals of similar material, together with a font and a Eulpit cushion. The memorial is a triute from the workers of the Presbyterian Maori Mission and old friends of Mr. Fletcher resident in the district. Mrs. Fletcher bas presented to the Church a silver bowl font, used by her late husband throughout his ministry in the TaupSo country and presented to him at the commencement of his life's wort: by an old Dutch missionary.