MISSION SCHOONER SOUTHERN CROSS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 383, 10 July 1889, Page 5

MISSION SCHOONER SOUTHERN CROSS.

Auckland, July 5. The Mclancsian Mission's smart threemasted mission schooner, Captain Bongard, arrived early this morning from her usual western Pacific cruise via Norfolk Island, and anehoied in the stream off the Queen-sheet Wharf. She has mado on this occasion a somewhat longer trip than usual, having boen delayed on her return to Norfolk Island by a heavy westerly gale. Amongst the South Sea groups visited in connection with the mission work were the Solomon, Florida, Santa Cru/, Banks, Torres, New Hebrides, and Loyalty Islands.. Teachers and " boys " irom Norfolk Island were dropped at the various mission stations, and everything was found to be very quiet amongst the natives at the localities of call. The ship's company of the Cross spent their Easter at Santa Cruz, north of the New Hebrides. In returning from there she called for the first time at the small island oi Tapoua, some 45 miles south of SantdCruz, with a viewto ascertaining tho practicability of establishing a mission station there. The Rev. Mr Forrest landed, but found the natives very timid, and very few of them were to be seen. This is supposed by other natives to be due to the fao t» that in "former times Island labour vessels had been in the habit of kidnapping their young people for Queensland or Fiji plantations. MrForrestwasoventuallyleftatSanta Cruz on May 31st. While in the Soloman Group in April the schooner was sighted by the Sydney trading-schooner Thistle. The Southern Cross's round trip occupied a little over threo months, she having loft Auckland last on March 28th. She brings a number of passengers, members of the Mission staff and wives, with five Melanesians, from Norfolk Island. She remains in port for upwards of ten days, and after docking and taking in stores sails again on her rogular Melanesian cruise. The stout little vessel has a rather dingy appearance after her few thousand miles of voyaging, although fine weather was met with throughout until nearing Norfolk Island, and she is to be docked shortly for the purpose of having her copper sighted, a necessity owing to the lapidity with which the sheathing of ships.' bottoms becomes foul in tropical waters. The schooner's auxiliary screw, although of small horsepower, proves a very valuable adjunct in the event of ,a calm, or in entering or leaving the ehelter of coral reefs in the Islands,