About Islands People

Miss Mary Clipstone, of Kamva, a missionary nurse who was evacuated from the New Hebrides after being there for nearly two years, will shortly return to the field and resume her missionary work under the Federal Overseas Mis sionary Board of Churches of Christ.

Mrs. W. Waterman, who spent years m missionary service in China, will accom pany her.

The Rev. R. A. O’Brien, while on active service, has built a church in Dutch New Guinea. It will accommodate 120 men on coconut log forms, and is to be dedi cated by the Bishop of Carpentaria. It was built by the men under the direction of Padre O’Brien in their spare time, and is called St. John’s in the Swamps. Mr.

O’Brien was also responsible for the building of St. John’s in the Woods, at Port Moresby.

Mr. Cyril King has been elected Chair man ol the Levuka Township Board— the third unofficial chairman of_ this local body to be appointed within the last year: Mr. Alport Barker is Chairman of the Suva Town Board, and Mr. David Ragg is Chairman of the Lautoka Town Board.

Anyone who has any knowledge fate of Mr. M. R. Pickering, formeriy of the Administration staff at Rabaul. who has not been heard of since the lesion in January, 1942, is requested to kmdiy communicate with his brother, Mr. W. • Pickering, 348 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia.

The Rev. Cecil Cohen. Nurse E. Field, and Nurse W. Mannmg have left for Melanesia. The former has joined the staff temporarily to relieve the Archdeacon A. E. Teall, who must come out for medical treatment e and Miss Manning have had experienc in Melanesia and are returning to hospital work in the Solomons.

The Rev. Harold Thompson, of'the Melanesian Mission, arrived m Sydney on January 25 from the Solomon where he had been engaged

establishing the mission school at Mara vovo, which had been completely des troyed through enemy action.

A young Papuan minister, Reautau, has been appointed by the London Mission ary Society, in co-operation with the war administration, as padre to Papuan labourers in Army service.

Mr. F. W. Huggins, who temporarily joined the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Administration in February, has been assigned the Phoenix Islands District, and also is the British Administrative Officer in the Canton and Enderbury Islands (Anglo-American Condominium).

Mr. F. R. Dayman has gone to Canton Island as Wireless Officer, to relieve Mr.

A. S. Cookson, who left on long furlough, prior to retirement.

Mr. V. Fox-Strangways, Resident Com missioner of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, has been promoted from Lieut.-Colonel to Colonel, and Mr. D. C.

I. Wemham, Administrative Officer, from Captain to Acting-Major, in the G. and E.

Defence Force.