LECTURE IN THE PROVINCIAL HALL.

Colonist, Volume XLI, Issue 9097, 15 February 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

LECTURE IN THE PROVINCIAL HALL.

There was a large attendance at the Provincial Hall last evening to hear the Bishop of Melanesia lecture upon the mission in the Islands. His Lordship the Bishop of Nelson presided, and after singing and prayer, briefly introduced the lecturer. The right rev. gentleman, by means of the limelight, showed a large number of views, comprising pictures of the islands (thirty of which are embraced in tbe mission), of native houses, villages, chiefs, teachers, churches, schools, etc. He stated that the native churches generally lasted eight years, and were built dt the cost of great labor by the natives themselves free of any expense to the mission. He iaid that often at their services there were a lot of mea, but lew women, and he illus-

• trated how the women stood with their faces | to the wall as they are supposed not to see the men, and to keep separate from them. He made repeated reference to the good | work clone hv the late Bishops Selwyn, l'attertion, and e__-i.i_;liop John Selwyn. He said the Mission now had two native priests, ten native deacons, and four hundred and eighty native teachers laboring and doing successful work among 13,000 Christian natives. He said nine thousand •atives were now employed in Queensland, and tbese were engaged at wages amounting to £6 per native per year. He pointed to the marked contrast existing between the Christian and the heathen natives. He urged that the Melanesian Mission was belonging to the Church of England in New Zealand, and had to look to this Colony for its support, ln speaking of the games played by the natives in New Hebrides, he said he was surprised to find one exactly similar to the English game of football. He concluded by expressing a hope that any information he had given would increase bis audience's interest in the Mission field, The lecture was listened to with deep attention, and the speaker was frequently applauded. The Chairman thanked the lecturer for his very interesting lecture, which had clearly shown the wonderful success of the Mission. The proceedings were brought to a close after singing a hymn and prayer. Mr Pollard successfully manipulated the limelight.