CHINA MISSIONS.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 25, Issue 9, 1 September 1935, Page 7

CHINA MISSIONS.

ADDRESSES BY DR. HADDOW. VARIOUS MEETINGS HELD. Dr. Phyllis Haddow, of Auckland, a .medical missionary of the New Zealand Church Missionary Society, from the C.M.S. Hospital, Hangchow, China, who is on furlough and doing deputation work under the direction of the New Zealand Anglican Board of Missions, held various meetings m and around Napier, and her addresses created interest m the mission work m the China field. Dr. Haddow has been out since 1923The Hangchow Hospital, to which DrHaddow is attached, is the largest missionary hospital of the Anglican Church m the world. Founded by Dr. Duncan Mair fifty years ago, it began m a very small way. He gave 45 years of devoted service to it, and worked it up to almost its present status. It has now an English doctor as superintendent, and Dr. Haddow, and eight fully qualified Chinese doctors (Christians) as assistants. Dr. Haddow, m her addresses, stressed the fact of the Evangelistic work done by both doctors and nurses. There are six sisters on the staff (two being New Zealanders), and a number of Chinese nurses, trained and being trained. The aim is to send out trained Christian nurses from time to time to the surrounding districts to work amongst their own people. Dr. Haddow stated that even m Hangchow, one of the most modern cities m China, there is no sewage system, and the people mostly have no idea of the simplest matters of hygieneHundreds of out-patients come to the clinic (50,000) last year), and the inpatient department is far too small. The staff is also too small for the enormous amount of work, both medical and spiritual. Outside the hospital compound is the sanatoria (tuberculosis being very common) and leper hospital, where much valuable work is done m the large population (750,000) of Hangchow. The doctor showed m her lantern address a striking picture of the ■Christian Chinese general and his

wife, Chiang Kai Shek. He is a great friend to the hospital; m fact, he was the means of handing it back when m the hands of the Nationalists m 1928. The doctor pleaded for peopleto realise the great need of helping by prayer, by giving, and also the need for an increased staff.

The climate of Hangchow is one of extremes, being very cold for two or three months, and going up to a temperature of 106. She said there were only six missionary hospitals m the province of twenty millions of people. The few Government hospitals were more like boarding houses for the rich.

"Some people think that mission hospitals have passed the era of maximum usefulness, but those m touch with the actual situation know that this is not so," says Dr. Haddow, "and they realise that all over China there is a growing feeling for the extension of such work. Thermal areas are so far practically untouched by Government services or private practitioners, and one knows that the Chinese Government views with great favour the efforts made or proposed by medical missions m this direction. The Hangchow municipal authorities are constantly m friendly consultation with the mission authorities as to how best they can co-operate m serving the huge municipality, and the opinion has been expressed by those who have witnessed the work that is being done that there is ample room for four hospitals of the same size m the city."

The past of Christian missions had been very great indeed, but under God's guidance there was reason to hope that the future would be greater still.