CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES IN NEW GUINEA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 17, 23 January 1891, Page 15

CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES IN NEW GUINEA.

(Melbourne Advocate.)

The Catholic missionaries in New Guinea are not in the habit of advertising themselves and their labours by making frequent appeals to the colonies for support, accompanied by touching tales of the privations tbey are obliged to endure in striving to convert the heathen. Tbey prefer to leave such pr ceedings to others, whose tact and energy in this paricnlar line of business is very inadequately requited by the results of their labours in be mi*°ion field. One of the enns* qaences of the moriesty of tbe Catholic Fathers is that their co-rehgionis's here rareU obtain a reliable n formation uf tneir missionary successt s. Occ-m<>nly, however, inform ition of a gratifying character reacre3 uh, and usually from ur expected quarters. In the annual report of the Administrator for Rritieh New Guinea, Bir William MHCgregor, whosei anti-Catholic ft ehngs are well known! says: — " All the stations of the society of ihe Missionaries of the Sacred Heart were visited by me during the year. Two Brothers were in charge of the school for the two native villages of Roro (Yule Island). About two dozen children knew the alphabet, and about half that number were beginning to read. On the ma'nland they ha<l one establishment at work and well grounded, at the village of Mou, in charge of a kind, devo ed, and intelligent teacher. PireTousblanc, and one Brother. School wort there was progressing very satisfactorily, and a large ii fluence for good has been gained there by the mission. Some thirty children were s^en at school, about half the number on the roll, and these all knew the alphabet, and were beginning to read. School" were opened lately, from Mou as ac< ntre, at two other villages in the vicinity of that plaoe. Unfortunately the members of this mission have suffered greatly from fever, apparently attributab'e in a great measure to defective diet, to the perfoimance of much manual labour m the sun, and to the notorious insalubrity of Boro Island. Clearly tbey have undergone a great deal of suffering and hardship, and their progress has thereby been retarded. The plans of Btehop Vujus for extending the work of the mission until it embraces the whole of the St. Joseph district appear to be gooi, and he possesses in a marked manner the energy, intelligence, and ability required to carry them out." Later in the report Sir William adds .— " Father Tousblanc is a man of a very quiet and kindly disposition. The first thing one notices on entering the village is the playful trust and confidence the children have in him at they gambled and skipped around about him. They are now able to give more time to teaching work. The house was built about a year ago ; the Bishop and some of the Brothers sawed the wood and built the house. Ihe natives were hos'ile at first, and there were threats of violence. At 4 p.m. we had serv cc and school, at which some fifty or sixty adultu ■were present. Tbe Bishop preached. There are on the school roll thirty-one boys and thirty-two girlp, about half of whom were present. They all know the alphabet, and are beginning to spell. School is held forenoon and aften oon. The scholars are about scren to twelve years of age. Singing appears to be rather neglected, but all tbe children present seemod to know their prayerß very well." -

It is interesting to compare the above with the accounts of the Administrator's visits to districts under the control of the London Minsi'inary Society at one of which the rev. gentleman in charge 6eemp<l " impressed with the utter inutility of his labours." Turning over the pages of the voluminous report, we find that the Catho ie missionaries have not only instructed the natives on the c ast in the knowledge < f Christianity, but have fearlessly mada l< ng excursions into the Ulterior, and explored and piepared charts ot trie country. Ihe^e charts are c >pie 1 into Sir William Macgegor's report, and they certair ly are not the least yaluable p<rt of it. An inspection of 'hem cou d not fail to convince anyone who takes an interest in the exploration of New Guinea that the Fathers of the Sacred Heart have c jntnbuted largaly to the geographical knowledge of the British portion of Papua.