Page 2 Advertisements Column 2

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19102, 22 February 1924, Page 2

MISSIONS IN FIJI. TO THE EUITO*. Sm,—ln addressing a gathering at St. Matthew’s Schoolroom the other evening Dr Kempthomc, Anglican, Bishop of Polynesia, is reported to have said that <l all the ilijians were Christians belonging mainly to the Methodist body,” and also that the native population was (after deducting the Indian population) 78,000. As it may appear strange to many that no reference was made by his Lordship to the Catholic Mission —a no mean influence in the religious life oi' the group— I trust you will be good enough to find space for' the following summary, contained in the “Australasian Catholic Directory” for 1923:—Number of priests 29. who attend 19 central stations and 279 villages; religious teachers, U Europeans and 14 natives; 47 Europeans and 18 natives; catechists, 315. A bishopric, comprising the islands of the Fiji Archipelago, of which, about 100 arc inhabited, was established in 1887, the residence of the present bishop (Eight Eev. C. J. Nicolas) being situated at Suva. The Catholic population of tho Fiji diocese is about 11,400. It may, or may not, be accepted, with all due respect to the good bishop, that the remaining 67,000 end native Fijians (allowing the Methodist Church a fair proportion) have been christianised. Very many, it is feared, are stall outside the pale of any religious denomination. —1 am, etc., i. J. 'WILSOJf.