MISSION VESSEL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23156, 30 September 1938, Page 14

MISSION VESSEL

DEPARTURE TO-DAY THE SOUTHERN CROSS NEW ZEALAND VOLUNTEERS ECHO-SOUNDING EQUIPMENT After spending a month at Auckland, the Mel.mesian Mission steamer Southern Cross will leave port at noon to-day for Vila, in the New Hebrides In addition to the Bishop of Melanesia, the !!t. Rev. W. 11. Baddeley, and the usual staff and crew, there will be three young men on board who have volunteered for service with the mission. They are Mr. W. A. Holloway an Knglishman who has lived in New Zealand for some years, and Messrs D. H. Baler and V B. Armitage' who are both New Zealanders. ' Mr. Armitage, who is a'll Aucklander, has been responsible while the Southern Cross has been at Auckland for the installation of electric echosoiuiding equipment, the gift of' an anonymous Knglish donor. Charting in Islands The device, which will be partieu. larl.v valuable when the vessel is negotinting treacherous and badly-chared stretches of water among some of tfo islands which she visits, provides a continuous reading of the depths of water through which the ship passes. It was used for the first time on Wedi nesday. when the Southern Cross ad" justed her compass at the compass iJol" phin, and showed that it is fully effi. cient. The echo-sounding gear will noi'onlv be used in the Islands as a protection for the ship, but also as an aid to other mariners. The Southern Cross will now be able to make exact record ings of various areas which are at present poorly charted and _£he in formation she obtains will be used bv the authorities in the preparation of new charts. Mr. Armitage's expert knowledge of the device is regarded on board as the cause for considerable gratification. ; . Full Stock oi Supplies Another gift which will he carried on board the mission steamer when she leaves to-day is a log-book or repster which is to be used to record the names of those groups of people who desire to share the cost of maintaining the ship for one day each in the year. The idea was only put into practice in Auckland and alreadv three citizens have offered the required donations of £lO each. It is hoped by the mission that in time every day of the year will be .accounted for by similar donations The book is also the gift of an anonymous donor, and the binding, scroll work and lettering is the work of an Auckland binder. In addition to undergoing Lloyd's survey, being fumigated and having a number of details attended to while slie has been in port, the Southern Cross has taken in a full stock of sup-, plies. In the last few days about 15 tons of a wide variety, of goods hard been loaded, including large quantities of tinned and other foods. The vessel always has to earn' six weeks' supplies.