PROGRESS OF FIJI MISSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 486, 20 April 1909, Page 5

PROGRESS OF FIJI MISSIONS.

AN, INTERVJEW. Visiting! Wellington at present is the Rev. V. 11. 'l'oole, \of Fiji, who is the deputy or the North Island in connection with the lustralasian -Methodist Missions Society, i'otore, ho went to the Fiji Group in 1904, Jr.* was stationed in West . Australia or. soven years, his last charge there being in Kalgoorlie gold field, at tho Golden Milo. tVhen ho first went to tho Fiji ho was tationed on the island of Kandavu, but now lis , homo is in tho extensive circuit *'- of L'hakaundrovo. Interview by a /Dominion reporter, Mr. i'oole said; that good progress " was' • being nado in connection with mission work in -hq Group. Despito tho decrease which had laken place in population in recent .years, :ho. numbers of members -and: adherents had jeen well sustained. ' The population of tho jroup totalled -120,000, of whom 3000 were ivhites,! 35,000 'Indians, and: the -balance native Pxjiaria, Solomon .'lslanders/ and' halflastesj In . all 85,000" peoplo belonged io Methodist churches,' ana there /wore 10,000 who /.attended RoirianCatholic jhurches. Thcre/wero; also: some Seventh Day Adv'entiats;'who v.irritate'd. atVtim'es,: ; but'. had loVmado p.v steady inroads upon the- work pf' .the; society// -If. they broke f fresh; ground it: '\vaß just possible that they.' could bo congratulated. • '.. : / . -././ As /showing tho extent of tho work in the circuit of/which ho had chargo, Mr. l'oole' pointed/out that it. possessed eighty nhurchca,. ;42 other preaching places; soven native/minister's/ 93 catechists arid teachens, 162_local;preachers/ 388: olass readers, 2365 native, mombers, 291 members on trial, 100 Sunday;.''schools ' with ' 206 teachers, .1438 scholars,- 105: day schools, with 189; teachers and .1303 scholars, and there was an 'aggregate attendance at public worship-of 0745.. ''. The - general ; return in connection with tho Methodist-Mission up to tho last year for / the: whole Group, was as f0110w902 churches, 'preaching-■ places; -15 European ./missionaries, seven European sisters,' : S9 native ministers, 91 / catechists, 941 /teachers,, 3494 local preachers, . 5887 class leaders, 85,120 native members, 4771 members on trial, 7320 catechumens,' 1116 Sunday schools,; /with/2591teachers, 24,425 scholars;■ 1314 day classes,, with 2178.teachers;. 17,162 scholars, and tho: total• attendpnco .at public, worship was 8u,632. In/addition to/the.ordinary mission work undertaken in tho Group by the society, tho bulk of the secular education of the people had been oarried' out by its society 1 for many years"! Only recently tho /society had established a splendid; educational'colony at Davurlcvu, ori tho'banka of'tlie Rewa Rivor. This colony included a,' high - school for tho education ; of the Fijian youth, an : industrial institute,a ; ; scientific agricultural institute, : ft central : theological institute for teachers' for tho. whole Group, besides the headquarters of;the. Indian mission.' Very handsoiho- contributions ' w,ero, given- by/'the Fijian: natives not only to tho upkeep of their own/missions, but also to tho /'general mission: fund. Endeavours were being made; to. secure subscriptions towards tho cost of tho work from the Indians, soirio of whom had already' made, donations.