Missions.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume VIII, Issue 12, 1 June 1918, Page 91

Missions.

The " Southern Cross Log" has been amalgamated with the "Australian Board of Missions Review: ' ' . Subscribers can obtain copies as usual, 2s 6d per annum.

The Rev. Hugo Gorovako, of Guadalcanar, is dead.

Mr George Warren, of Melanesia, is serving m the Australian Field Ambulance.

Mr Frank Browning is with the R.A.M.C. m France.

Maori Mission.— More ladies are wanted to live among, the Maoris as missionary workers 5 £500 a year is required to support five such ladies. Miss Chatter ton writes from Kaitaia

describing her work. She badly needs a horse and trap,' and will r be grateful for second-hand clothing for women and children, the postage on which she will pay. She has a large number of Maori patients under her care. Fiji. — The Viceroy of India has stated that the indenture system is to be abolished m Fiji and elsewhere. Indian-women's hospitals m. Fiji belonging to the' Sugar xl .Oomp&ny ;i are managed by male superintendents, and the Sugar Company refuses to replace them with matrons. Leaders of the Nationalist movement m India are greatly stirred by this insult to Hindoo women, and unless the wrong is put right serious trouble may result. . ■■ ■ - . ■■■ r*'-<^ New Guinea. — From New Guinea comes a very earnest appeal for more workers. Three priests are wanted at once. Side by side with the really remarkable progress of the Mission goes the still more, rapid progress of commerce. New Guinea is full of possibilities and attracts hundreds ;of adventurers and settlers. Bishop Sharp has the double responsibility of chris- j tianising the natives and guarding the' white population from lapsing into' a, worse state of Godlessness; ' Recently the first Papuan priest was ordained and the fifth Papuan deacon. By the end of 1918 the Bishop thinks that considerably more than 1000 Papuans will have been baptised during the year, 800 confirmed. The communicants are dependent almost solely (!>n white priests for the supply of their spiritual needs. The Rev. Copland King, the veteran mis,-n sionary, has broken down from illhealth, and others of the staff are -.also suffering chiefly from over-work and lack of furloughs. ■ ■ Melanesia; The first issue of the v Southern Cross Log" as a cover to the "A.B.M. Review" was published m April. In explaining the position the editor of the "Log" emphasises the fact that the new arrangement will double the amount of information supplied to subscribers, but at .the same time it is only a second best until such time as New Zealand herself starts a missionary magazine better suited to New Zealand readers than an Australian one can be. News has recently been received that Dr. James Metcalfe, second son of the late Dr. P. M. Metcalfe, for so many years medical officer to the mission on Norfolk Island, has returned to work with the army m France. Dr. Metcalf was seriously wounded m both legs while attending to the wounded m the trenches on September 25th last. His younger brother, Dr. Frank Metcalf, was mortally wounded a few days later, dying on October 6th. The shock of his bro-

ther ?s death and : his ■•' •*6wh" lJ wounds nearly proved fatal to. the elder brother, and we can indeed rejoice with his family that he has recoyered. sufficiently to resume work. Both brothers were with the A.I.F. m France, having volunteered .for medical work m the trenches. \ ( §ince writing the above cable information has reached Australia that Dr. James Metcalfe has also^'died-of : . wounds). No recent news lias come from .the Mission except that the "Southern Cross" reached Norfolk Island ,safejy from Auckland, " 1 ; ' ■ :