Methodist Mission’S

Annual Report

THOUGH the finances of the Methodist Missionary Society of Australasia showed a deficit for 1933 of over £4,000, great progress has been made in the So ciety’s Islands mission activities, accord ing to the 79th Annual Report just issued.

During the year the Board, determined to fill all vacant stations, increased the European staff in the Pacific Islands mis sion field. Altogether ten new mission aries—six men and four women —were sent to Papua, Fiji and New Guinea.

Rev. C. O. Lelean, of Fiji, retired after 32 years’ service and Rev. M. K. Gilmour also retired after 33 years of work in Papua. Four other mission workers have also retired on account of ill-health, while Miss H. Stevens and Miss D. Secomb retired in order to marry. New Britain lost one of her greatest pioneer mission aries when Rev. W. H. Cox retired early this year; later he died in hospital in Australia on April 28.

Fiji District.

The work of the Fiji District was much handicapped through reduced subscrip tions, though the voluntary writing off by native ministers of 75 per cent, of their year’s salary improved the position slightly.

The superintendent of the Bau Circuit (Rev.. T. N. Deller) has been working strenuously in an effort to raise ten thou sand guineas for the Fiji Centenary Cele brations Fund. At the end of 1933, the fund stood at £1,300.

Education has advanced considerably.

Ten students are studying at the Davui levu Theological College; 128 pupils are attending the well- equipped primary school in the same district and there are many scholars at the technical school where carpentry cabinet-making, book keeping, electrical engineering, etc., are taught. The Navuso Agricultural School is doing very good work in turning out pfficient Fijian farmers.

New Britain.

The Methodist Society has 375 churches in the New Britain district and 23 Euro pean missionaries at work among the natives. The notable feature of the mis sion work in this district during the year has been the evangelistic work. Many new villages have been opened up and the mission’s influence has extended in all di rections.

The General Secretary (Rev. J. W. Bur ton) visited the Territory recently and with Rev. L. A. McArthur re-organized the mission’s educational system.

The task of attending to the medical needs of the natives has been arduous.

But the large number of patients treated is testimony to the able work done in this direction. PAPUA Rev. J. R. Andrews was appointed Chair man on the retirement of Rev. M. K. Gil mour.

In Papua, mission education is in its primitive stages, though schools are main tained at Kiriwina, Salamo, and Bwai doga.

During the year the missions continued to render needful medical assistance to* the Papuans.