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Appeal by Dr. Mackaness

Letter to the Editor IN 1814, 1815, and succeeding years, thou sands of copies of Tahitian books were printed in Sydney, and distributed by the missionaries amongst the natives of the Tahitian islands.

The chief items were a Catechism — “Te mata no te parau na te Atua”; a Hymn book; a School Primer and Spell ing Book, “Te abi no Tahiti”; a Book of Scripture Extracts and Hymns, “Parau no Tahiti”; and a second book of scripture extracts, “Parau no Jesu Christ.”

There were also a Catechism, a New Testament History, an Old Testament His tory, and the History of Joseph. Possibly there were others printed in Sydney, but I do not know their titles except “The New Zealand Spelling Book,” entitled “A Karao no New Zealand.”

My reason for writing this is to ask whether you would ask any readers who have copies of any of these items to com municate with me, as I am engaged in preparing a “Bibliography” of these early missionary printings. I shall, of course, be happy to pay any cost involved.

I am. etc.,

J. Mackaness.

39 Collingwood St..

Drummoyne, Sydney.

Pastor Kata Rangaso, Solomon Islands chief and SDA Pastor, recently addressed 1,000 Seventh Day Adventists in a canvas ‘big top” conference hall at Zillmere (Brisbane). He is a native of Marovo, in the Florida Group of the Western Solomons. This is his fourth visit to Aus tralia and he has been engaged on revision of his Bible translations into his own language. He expects to finish the task by mid-May.