THE MELANESIAN MISSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20283, 16 December 1927, Page 12

THE MELANESIAN MISSION.

WORKERS ON FURLOUGH. INCREASE IN STAFF ESSENTIAL. (Special to Daily ' Times.) AUCKLAND, December 15. Looking rather travel-stained the little mission steamer Southern Cross arrived at Auckland early this morning. iim returning missionaries on board were -he Rev. R. E. Tempest, an English pries., who has been in Melanesia for some years, and now has charge of the college at Siota, the headquarters of the mission; the Rev. R. J. Sheard, another Englishman. who ia stationed at Pawa; the Walter Ivena, lAtt.D., research fel ow of the University of Melbourne, who has been engaged in the study of ‘ Anthroponomics ” and is returning to Melbourne ; Mrs Sprctt, of iiugotu, wido* of a missionary; Miss E. Cordell, nurse, formerly of Otaki, and now sftt’oned at Shota; and Mr D. L Francis, formerly of Auckland, and no T| ' stationed at Reef Islands. With the exception of Dr Ivens the members of the party will return to the mission held after a short furlough. i “There is not a great deal that new to be said of the work of tho mission, said Mr Tempest. “ Everything is going well, but we are so very under-staffed that progress is necessarily slow. If we could treble our numbers both as to the clergy and the laity we should be at proper strength. Unfortunately, it is difficult to get unmarried workers. We have the greatest difficulty in accommodating married people because in the first place we have insufficient houses for the missionaries alreadv there, and in the scond place a married man cannot be sent to an isolated station because he would have to leave his wife alone for long periods. What we really want are young unmarried men who have had about two years’ experience of narish work. Both bishops were working very hard, said Mr Tempest. The Bishop of Melanesia (the Right Rev. Dr Steward), who is to retire on August 1, was in fairly good health when the steamer left, but after ?5 years of arduous work in the Pacific he was unable to endure the heavy strain of travelling. Were it not for the travelling which the bishop had to do it was possible that ho would oe able to carry on. The coadiutor bishop (Bishop Molyneaux) had been of great assistance, and did a good deal of travelling. “ What will happen when Bishop Steward restires? ” Mr Tempest was asked. “ The bishop of the diocese will be chosen by the bishops _of the Church if the province of New Zealand,” replied Mr Tempest. “ A delegation of three, representing the Melanesian Mission staff, will consult the bishops, with whom the choice rests. Some of us think we know who will be chosen, hut of course we are not saying anything about it." Tho need for a hospital at Mala was stressed hv Dr Tvens. He thought there should bo "two district officers of the Government stationed there.