OFF TO THE ISLANDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 14, 7 April 1927, Page 1

OFF TO THE ISLANDS

MELANESIAN MISSIONARIES SOUTHERN CROSS DEPARTS A small group of friends gathered at the Queen’s Wharf this morning to bid farewell to the missionaries and others who left on the Melanesian Mission steamer Southern Cross this morning for Vila, New Hebrides. Among those on board are Miss L. Tyas and Mr S. G. Watkins, who have left for their first experience of work in the Islands. Miss Tyas, who recently arrived from England, will have charge of a school at Bunana, in the Solomons, and Mr. Watkins will take up the position of secretary to the Bishop of Melanesia at Siato. also in the Solomons. The Rev. R. Godfrey and his wife, who are returning to Lolowai. New , Hebrides, are also on board. Mr. Godfrey will be warden of the new college for native teachers there. Miss M. A. Hurse, who has been in New Zealand on furlough, will resume teaching at the native school at Torgil in the Banks Islands. When the Southern Cross left she had in tow a 35ft. oil launch Mavis, which was bought by Bishop J. M. Steward for inter-island travelling. The journey will be about 2,000 miles —an unusually long distance to tow a boat of such small size. The Mavis is 35ft. long. Sft. 9in. beam, and 3ft. 9in. draught, with a gross tonnage of 6.89 or net 5.16 tons. The Southern Cross returns to Auckland in about 14 weeks’ time.