War Brings Mission

Problems Prosperity in East; Dislocation in West

rE Methodist Overseas Mission, in its 1943 report for the Pacific, admits to being perplexed over the many new problems the war has brought in its train; but declares that it is not in despair.

Sixteen members' of the New Guinea staff are still missing; and, in spite of all inquiries, made with ingenuity and persistence, eighteen months have gone by without one word from these people.

In the fields where mission work is being carried on, lack of transport for supplies and staff replacements, man power regulations and wartime condi tions generally, are making work difficult.

A brief account of the Mission’s work during the past year in various Pacific Territories follows: — Tonga and Samoa are outside the jurisdiction of the Mission Board in Australia. However, the Board provides the salaries and allowances for European members of the staff, and assists in other ways. Both Tonga and Samoa have benefited financially by the war, and the people have contributed generously to church funds. The Church in Tonga had financial difficulties for many years, but these have now been lifted. In Samoa, also, £lO,OOO contributed by the natives has cleared the Church there of debt.

The balance owing on the large planta tion used as an industrial school has also been paid, and this is now owned out right by the Samoan Church.

The Rev. C. F. Gribble who was for four years Principal of Tubou College.

Tonga, resigned to become Director of Education with the Tongan Government.

He was succeeded by the Rev. Eben V.

Newman, from New South Wales. The Rev. R. J. Maddox, who served in Samoa for 14 years, has retired, and his place has been taken by the Rev. C. L.

Williams.

In Fiji, many buildings were taken over for military purposes and educa tional work suffered. Inability to fill vacancies in the European staff also has caused hardship. Schools have been held in temporary quarters, however, and have carried on with considerable effi ciency. At the Agricultural School, at Navuso, many young Fijians have been called up for national service, but arrangements are being made to enrol a number of younger boys. At the Cen tral Educational Institution, Davuilevu, a secondary school for Fijians and Indians has been commenced, and already there is a waiting list.

The entire Methodist district of New Guinea is in enemy hands and it has been impossible to gain much informa tion from this district. The missionaries who were in the area at the time of the Japanese invasion, and who are believed to be prisoners, are: The Revs. L. A.

McArthur, W. L. I. Linggood, W. D.

Oakes, H. J. Pearson, J. W. Poole, H. B.

Shelton, T. N. Simpson, J. Trevitt, Mo Pui Sam (Chinese Minister); Messrs. S.

C. Beazley (technical instructor), E. W.

Pearce (accountant), Thomas Mow, wife and children: Nurses J. Christopher, M.

Green, D. Beale, D. E. Wilson.

According to reports from escaped prisoners, the natives have all been eva cuated from the Gazelle Peninsula. Their condition after this upheaval in their social life remains unknown.

All Methodist missionaries were eva cuated from Papua in January, 1942, and since that date the Board has tried unceasingly to obtain permission for some

of these workers to return. In July, 1943, the military authorities in Australia informed the general secretary of the Board that the return of the Revs. H.

K. Bartlett, E. A. Clarke and H. T. Wil liams had been approved, subject to the concurrence of the Commander of the US Sixth Army. In September this concur rence had not yet been received.