Melanesian Mission Now

Settled In Nz Headquarters

WITH the appointment of a successor to the Right Reverend W. H. Baddeley, who was Bishop of Melanesia for 14 years, the new Bishop, the Right Reverend S. G. Caulton, desired that the offices of the mission should be returned to New Zealand as soon as accommodation could be found. This was completed in October of 1948, and the Mission office is now domiciled in The National Mutual Build ings, 41 Shortland Street, Auckland.

It was natural that some loss of in terest in the Mission was sustained in NZ through the long absence of the ad ministrative offices. Bishop Caulton is arranging for the mission vessel “Southern Cross’’ to visit the Dominion more fre quently. A considerable saving is effected by making use of the mission’s own vessel in transferring large quantities of stores etc, to the mission field and it is under stood that the Bishop hopes that plans may be made for the visit to NZ of missionaries who will be given time, in ad dition to their furlough, to carry out deputation work throughout the parishes.

A considerable amount of stores will con tinue to be purchased in and sent for ward from Australia, notably to the New Hebrides and Banks Islands.

The Centenary celebrations of the Melanesian Mission will take place throughout New Zealand in September and October of this year. The mission

vessel “Southern Cross’' will make a good will tour of many ports in the Dominion at this time. Bishop Caulton will head the party from the mission field and meet ings and services will be held throughout the country.

It is of interest to note that the North ern Archdeaconry of Melanesia, that is, the portion lying in New Britain, where the mission had many stations which were destroyed and where lives were lost dur ing the Jap occupation, is to be taken over by the Diocese of New Guinea which is under the leadership of the Right Reverend P. N. Strong, and is part of the Church of the Commonwealth of Aus tralia. The transfer will take effect from July, 1949.