For Cook Islands

New LMS Leader For Cook Islands

AMONG the passengers who left Rarotonga, Cook Islands, for New Zealand by the Civil Aviation calibration aircraft on March I was the Rev. W. G.

Murphy, who has retired from duty as head of the London Missionary Society in the Group.

Mr. Murphy has been in charge of LMS activities in the Cooks for eight years and early earned the respect and affection of the people he served.

A strict, but very human, dis ciplinarian, he loved the Cook Islanders and hopes at some time to return and settle in Rarotonga and there prosecute local researches that have been his hobby for some years.

Mr. Murphy was a keen tennis player and had many good games of chess with his Roman Catholic competitors.

Always a charming host, he can count many true friends among European residents of the Cook Group.

Mr. Murphy is succeeded by the Rev. and Mrs. B. G. Thorogood, who are already well known in the group. An eloquent speaker, Mr.

Thorogood mastered the Maori language after three months at Aitutaki, and at times has held his Cook Islands audiences spellbound.

Both he and Mrs. Thorogood are

cultured people with a broad on look and much to give in exchan for the willing support alws tendered by Cook Islanders to thrJ Christian leaders.