New Schooner

For Fr. Oceania Inter-Island Service

From a Special Correspondent

Papeete, Oct. 6.

THERE was some excitement on Papeete waterfront on September 22 when the semaphore signalled that the schooner Denise was coming in with a derelict in tow.

As the two ships approached, old-timers recalled the occasion in 1921 when the Union Company’s Talune put into port towing the waterlogged American barken tine Retriever. The latter had been abandoned by her crew near the Mar quesas and had drifted 700 miles before being picked up by the Talune. The Retriever figured in Peter B. Kyne’s book “Gappy Ricks.”

However, the fervour died down when it was learned that the Denise was bring ing a newly-built hull, the Manava, back from the Austral Group.

The Manava was built entirely of native wood by the islanders of Tubuai for Mr.

Charles Brown, of Papeete, who is also owner of the Denise.

A regiment of carpenters are busy now on the fine new vessel, and in a few weeks she will commence her inter-island service between Papeete and the Australs. She will fly the flag of the Societe Com merciale De I’Oceanie, of which Mr.

Brown is head.

Among the passengers who returned from the Austral Group aboard the Denise were Mrs. Oscar G. Nordman and her daughter Ethel, and Mr. Lionel R.

Hayes. Mrs. Nordman, who is proprie tress of the Oceanic Market at Papeete, brought back a boatload of cattle for her establishment. Mr. Hayes, a New Zea lander, owns one of the finest properties at Papeari and he made the round trip in the Denise to gather material for a book he is writing.

Dr. D. Macleod, who has worked for six years in the New Hebrides for the Pres byterian Church, departed for Scotland by the Mooltan from Sydney on October 17.

Rev. Philip N. W. Strong was conse crated Bishop of New Guinea in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, on October 28. He will sail for Australia by the Mongolia on November 27, and will probably leave Sydney for Papua in January.

The newly-built hull of the Manava, being towed to Papeete.