MELANESIAN MISSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21807, 23 May 1934, Page 12

MELANESIAN MISSION

ADDRESS BY THE BISHOP A HUMANITARIAN APPEAL A largo and very enthusiastic audience was addressed last evening in Scots Hall by the Bishop of Melanesia, the Rt. Rev. W. H. Baddeley, upon the work of the mission, of which he is the head. Archbishop Averill presided and introduced the speaker.

After thanking Auckland churchpeople on behalf of the mission for their keen interest in its work and their continued support, Bishop Baddeley said that Melanesia was essentially a sea diocese, stretching 1900 miles from the New Hebrides to the mainland of the Mandated Territory ot New Guinea, and including 100 islands, in 50 or 60 of which the mission was at work. Thus sea communication wau a matter of great importance. "The Southern Cross is not maintained merely for conveying the bishop from island to island," he remarked. "People have written to me suggesting that now I must be rather like an American inillonaire, travelling about the Pacific in a luxurious yacht. So far as I am concerned, they can gladly have my share of the luxury on a good many occasions." Although communication had improved the world over, there were still some places whore it had declined. Ho had heard only on Saturday that the inter-island steamer in the Solomons was being withdrawn and that nothing would be provided to take her place. There was a real need for auxiliary craft to replace the whaleboata which many missionaries were still compelled to use, often at considerable risk to themselves and their native crews.

Bishop Baddcley spoke of the responsibilities which had been placed on tho mission in the Mandated Territory, and of the recent discovery in the mainland wilds of 200,000 people of Semitic origin. The Governor of the territory, he added, had described the whole region as a challenge to Christianity, and had asked him whether his branch of the Church was willing to take up its share. He had replied:—"All our present resources, and more, are committed to our work further south. The answer is not in me to give; it is for the Church in New Zealand, England and Australia to say whether we shall take up the work, at least partially."