Boat Wanted For The

"Mission In The Mud"

DOES anyone know of anyone who has for sale a ketch or cutter, from 40 to 50 feet long, with a draft not ex ceeding five feet, suitable for maintaining communications between Daru Island (Western Papua) and the “Mission in the Mud”—which is conducted by Mr. and Mrs. Standen near the mouth of the Bamu River? If so, information would be gratefully received by Mr. H. E. Stan den, c/o Mr. Hamill Smith, 21 Westfield Street, Earlwood, Sydney. Just a plain boat is wanted —no fancy fittings—and as it is intended primarily for sail, only a small engine is needed, Mrs. Eva Standen was allowed to return to her Bamu River Mission in 1946, and has been carrying on alone since then.

One of her greatest problems is transport and communications, and an attempt now is being made to solve this by pur chasing a suitable boat. Under present conditions, mails and supplies lie for weeks and months at Daru.

Good boats of this type are few and far between.

Mr. Standen has completed 4i years’ service, and in the last 18 months he was in charge of an R.A.A.F. vessel, which had the unhappy task of recovering the bodies of Australian and American air men lost in crashed aircraft in different parts of the Mandated Territory. He expects to get his discharge soon and, after a period of hospital treatment, he will return to “the Mission in the Mud.”

In addition to carrying on the usual activities, this non-denominational Bamu River Mission is trying to establish a hospital organisation for combating the tuberculosis that is prevalent among the native inhabitants of this unattractive death region. It is a work worthy of en couragement.