MISSIONARIES AND MOTOR BOATS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1719, 9 April 1913, Page 5

MISSIONARIES AND MOTOR BOATS.

$. DESIRE FOR PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE, BLOCKED BY PREFERENCE CLAUSE. Somo enthusiastic mission priests from the island-dotted expanses of the Pacific havo been endeavouring during, the past few days to acquire practical "knowledge in ono or more of the engineering shops of Auckland, in connection with the working of motor launches (says the "Star"). 'I'hey have asked for the bread of cstjeri- < nee. but have received the stone of refusal on the ground that the principle, of preference to unionists does not permit' of even their temporary admission among union workers. Why; it might be asked, should missionaries desire to don tho dungarees of mechanics? The'explanation is simple. Hitherto the work of tho Mehinesian Mission has been carried on under tho dangerous difficulties associated with whaleboats, but in generous fashion tho mission ha.-- recently been presented with three, motor boats by supporters in M'ellinglon, Christ-church, and Dunedin. A fourth, and a larger motor boat, isjieinp given to the Bishon of Melanesia (I)r' Wood).by friends in Auckland. The, Southern Cross has a more or less perilous voyage of between 9000 and 10,000 miles <o complete on ono of her ordinary trips but this time the distance will bs greater' as a special trip to Brisbane and Svdnoy is to bo undertaken after tho round of the islands. She has about 300 calls to make, many of them at islands where it is no uncommon thing for a whito man to bo shot at. If anyone unacquainted with the Bishop of Melanesia had strolled on to tile Southcm Cross during tho past day or hvo, and had been told that a certain wearer ol overalls in tho engine-room was "his Lordship, (hey would m-obablv have treated tho remarks as a joke. Nevertheless it was true, for the Eight Rev. Dr. \\ ood has boon evincing an interest as keeir as that of his mission priests for piactieal insight into tho mcchanisin of motor engines. Speaking of the valut) of launches for "lesion use (none have so far been, provided), Captain Burgess remarked that it wis quite common for the missionaries to cover distances of JO miles across open sea in whaleboats with t-eu native rowers, live of whom worked at a time. Sometimes the boats actually lose wav instead ot making it when they are cau?ht in a five or six-knot current. Captain 'Burgess; . ,"i , ~1 11 el,l ' Jor of the mission .staff, auded, with a degreo of admiration, that the missionaries were continually facing dentil in their ordinary seafaring oxpericures. In fact, it was 1 bovond human comprehension how they sometimes got through'. Ono of the staff said that they wanted to learn more than the mere running of tho launches, because if th-3 engines broke down at the Islands there would bo 110 cnginpors to repair them within a thouf.^lid miles. It may be mentioned that there aro a score of male missionaries, half a dozen laymen, a dozen lady workers, and about 500 native teachers oil the expansive Melanesian field. llf the new launches prove successful others' will he procured as funds allow. Tile new Bishop has formulated an interesting scheme to work tho missioners in pairs, and each of the new launcheswill serve two priests. This -system will serve to counteract the efi'ccts of isolation which have been felt so keenly in the past. A year or more without the sight of a white man haw been 110 unusual experience in rhe past. The mission visitors now in Auckland speak cheerfully of tho results of the work among tlw semi-savage natives, and state that civilisation is advancing to n" o:;!?"f.' But there are still many 'bloodcurdling incidents to relate, and they are .'.u!x : ou« th it the score of , the wark -should be mcrc:v,c:!. „