Papua
pp. 41-42 · Read in the full issue
Mission-Built Ketch in Papua
From Our Own Correspondent
Pt. Moresby, Dec. 11.
ON November 25, at the Customs Wharf, Port Moresby, the London Mis sionary Society’s new launch, “Oliver Tomkins” was dedicated to the Mission service, and handed over to Rev. H. L.
Schlenker, for mission work in the Daru and Fly River ‘District. The Lieut.- Governor (Sir Hubert Murray), accom panied by the Official Secretary, took part in the ceremony and in a speech praised the work of the Mission, and especially of the L.M.S. station at Fyfe Bay where, under the direction of Mr.
C Fisher, the “Oliver Tomkins” had re
been completed by Papuan stu ‘ The “Oliver Tomkins” is an auxiliary ketch, 42 ft. long, with a 12-ft. beam. powered With a 30 h.p. Gardiner diesel engine. It is named after Rev.
Oliver Tomkins, a young missionary who arrived from England in 1900 and who, with Rev. James Chalmers, was mur dered by the natives of Goanban Island on April 8, 1901.
A baptismal font was dedicated to the memory of Sister Daisy Lucas at New Town Methodist Church, Tasmania, on December 3. Sister Lucas was a mission ary in Fiji for 13 years, and died on the field last year. She was a native of the Huon, and was in the Tasmanian Edu cation Department before taking up mis sion work.
IN the gloomy swamps of the Purari Delta, in Papua, a detachment of native police was searching for two mur derers.
They made two arrests. But, during a night of heavy rain, the prisoners escaped from the temporary camp of palms-fronds and sticks.
While they were crossing a muddy creek, one of the fugitives was taken by a crocodile. His companion at once re turned to the police camp and sur rendered.
“It’s no good,” he said, disgustedly, as the handcuffs were snapped on his wrists. “We can run away from the police people. But if the crocodiles are gomg to help them, that is the end.”
The belief is now firmly established in their village that if crocodiles are not the permanent allies of the Government, at least their aid can be enlisted at any time, and that it is hopeless to resist their authority.