Tribute to Missionary and Educationist

Educationist

Appreciation of conspicuous service rendered by Rev. Basil R. C. Nottage, during nine years’ missionary work in the New Hebrides, was expressed in a formal resolution of the Victorian Foreign Mission Committee recently, Mr. Nottage, owing to ill-health, has been obliged to leave the New Hebrides.

A former colleague writes of him:— “Pew missionaries have given more thoughtful patience to understanding the traditional ways of the native, and deal ing with their customs so as to divert them from bad to good ends. Even more conspicuous than his knowledge of Islands manners, customs and mentality was his capacity for ‘thinking brown’.

“The best remedy against mistakes in dealing with natives is found in the study of anthropology; and, in Mr. Not tage, the practical scholar and mission ary were seen at work. In David Living stone’s day the popular conception of a missionary was that of a stumpy man with a Bible under his arm; but, that now is out of date. Mr. Nottage was a patron of modern missionary methods, and recognised that the programme of Christianity must be viewed against the background of the lives the natives have to lead in their own social order, and that it embraces human life in its totality, including moral, physical and economic good, as well as spiritual emancipation.

“It is deeply regretted that the Pacific Territories are deprived of the services of such a noted educationist, in view of the important plans devised by the British Government for the development of native races on the successful termin ation of the war.”

Mr. S. H. Chance, who has been acting as Resident Magistrate at Buna, Papua, arrived in Australia on leave recently and preceded to Lismore where he joined his wife and family.

Visitors to Lae, New Guinea, earlv in November, included Mr. L. V. Water house, a director of Bulolo Gold Dredg ing, Ltd., and Guinea Airways, Ltd.; and Mr. H. Morris Smith, managing director of Guinea Airways, Ltd.

£528 From Norfolk Is.

SINCE the Norfolk Island Division of the Australian Red Cross Society was formed in October, 1939, with Lady Rosenthal as President, £528 has been raised and distributed as follows: To the Lady Gowrie Fund. Red Cross Headquarters, Melbourne £142.

For provision of ambulance for Empire troops £l4l.

Purchase of wool and other materials for garments £lOB.

Fund for relief of sufferers from Turk ish earthquake £4O.

Balance in hand £59.

Over 600 garments, including pyjamas, mufflers, socks and balaclava caps have been despatched to headquarters in Aus tralia.

The population of the Island is under 1,000.

Mr. W. Craig, of Cable and Wireless, Ltd., recently returned to Suva, Fiji, for another term of service.