THE MISSION FIELD

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21155, 30 September 1938, Page 8

THE MISSION FIELD

RECRUITS FOR MELANESIA By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, September 29. After spending a month at Auckland, the Melanesian mission steamer Southern Cross will leave port at noon to-morrow for Vila, in the New Hebrides. In addition to the Bishop of Melanesia, Dr 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 Messrs W. A. Holloway, an Englishman who has lived in New Zealand for some years, and D. H. Baker and P. B. Armi’age, who are both New Zealanders. Mr Armitage has been responsible while the Southern Cross has been at Auckland for the installation of the electrlc-echo-sounding equipment, the gift of an anonymous English donor. The device, which will be particularly valuable when the vessel is negotiating the badly-chart-ed stretches of water among some of the islands which she visits, provides a continuous reading of depths of water through which the ship passes. It was used for the first time on Wednesday when the Southern Cross adjusted her compass at the compass dolphin, and showed that it is fully efficient. The echo-sounding gear will not only be used in the islands as protection for the ship but also as an aid to other mariners. The Southern C~”ss will now be able to make exact recordings of various areas which are at present poorly-charted and the information she obtains will be used by the authorities In the preparation of new charts. Mr Armitage's expert knowledge of the device Is regarded on board as a cause for considerable gratification. In addition to undergoing Lloyd’s survey, being fumigated and having a number of details attended to while she has been in port, the Southern Cross has taken in a full stock of supplies.