LINK WITH MISSION WORK

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 29, Issue 6, 1 August 1938, Page 5

LINK WITH MISSION WORK

A link with the early days of the Melanesian Mission and the martyrdom of Bishop J. C. Patteson has been broken by the death at Kohimarama last month of Miss Mary Atkin, aged 94, a life-long resident of the district. Miss Atkin was a sister of the Rev. Joseph Atkin, • who was the companion of Bishop Patteson just before the latter was murdered, and who died of arrow wounds after burying the bishop's body. Miss Atkin was born m a house made of raupo. It was on the same site as the house m which she lived at the time of her death. Her father, the late Mr William Atkin, was one of the first settlers on the land at Kohimarama. In the work of the Melanesian Mission, Miss Atkin had a life-long interest. At St. Andrew's Mission College, of which she used to speak, boys from the Islands were trained for mission work m Melanesia about 70 years ago. As many as 60 at a time were trained m this college, commencing with the first group of six that Bishop Selwyn brought back from the Solomons. Miss Atkin used to recall the time when Bishop Selwyn had a small cutter called the Flying Fish. The cutter was only seven tons, and the

bishop used to sail it himself . It was m this tiny craft that he visited places all round New Zealand. In contrasting life to-day with the difficulties which beset the pioneers, Miss Atkin used to quote occasions on which, owing to the shortage of money, requirements were obtained by barter. When visiting Auckland her parents usually took with them butter and exchanged it . for groceries.