THE BACK-BLOCKS

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 26, Issue 12, 1 December 1936, Page 2

THE BACK-BLOCKS

An interesting report and discussion came m Synod about Church work m the scattered areas of the Diocese. The report says: — "In this Diocese the sparselysettled or vacant places of twenty or so years back are m many parts now occupied by more or less closely-settled pioneers often without anything that may be called a centre, and m many parishes these tax the powers of the ministers of the Church, or are so insoluble that these people, for whom the Church ought to care, have to be left alone. "Examples m this Diocese are the country between Eskdale and Wairoa, between Wairoa and the parish of Patutahi, and m the country m the back of Whakatane, generally known as Galatea, and the district between Te Karaka and Opotiki. The distances to be covered, the sparseness of the population and the want of a centre, make the work of the parish priest almost insuperable m such districts. ■■■■.-. "Added to that, at the present time there are the Public Works Camps on the Gisborne railway, on the Waikaremoana road, and the afforestation camps m the Kaingaroa Plains. These latter groups present only a temporary problem, but the magnitude of the task may be well illustrated from the railway works between Waikokopu and Gisborne. "At either end there are a series of camps, often m most inaccessable places, separated by distances on the railway line comparatively short, but only to be got at by much longer distances of difficult road. There is, between points on the line stretching over the distance of between 40 and 50 miles, a population of over 1000 workmen 330 of them, married and many with children. "How can the Church face up. to the needs of these people?" asked the report. "The responsibility for them is general, not local." It was suggested that Synod

authorise Standing Committee to spend an amount up to £500 for one home missioner for work m some area to be selected by the Bishop and Standing Committee. It is understood that this is only the beginning of the attack on the problem. The main point is the finding of the right man for the work, which is of an altogether special nature. It is recognised that the man required must be strong and active' able to rough it, and of such a character as would appeal to the men m the camps.