Native-Built Cutter
p. 46 · Read in the full issue
rIS 42 ft. launch—“ Oliver Tompkins” —commissioned in Papua recently by the London Missionary Society, was built entirely by Papuan natives under the direction of Mr. Cecil Fisher at Isuleilei, Fife Bay. She has a beam of 12 ft.; draught, 4 ft. 6 ins.; weight, 14
tons; displaces 27 tons; and is driven along at 7-8 knots by a 30 h.p. Gardner diesel engine.
An interesting feature of the vessel is that it has been named after the young L.M.S. missionary who, together with James Chalmers, was massacred by natives on Goaribari Island, Papua, in the early part of this century. Some years ago the vessel now stationed at Aird Hill was launched and named “Tamate”—the Papuan name for James Chalmers; so that now both of the Goaribari martyrs have their names commemorated on Mission launches.
Mr. C. E. MacCormick, Chief Judge of the N.Z. Native Land Court, retired last month at the age of 75. He is well known in the Central Pacific, having been acting-Resident Commissioner of the Cook Islands in 1912; chairman of the Native Military Service Board, 1918; and a member of the Royal Commission on Samoa in 192?.