The Rev. Charles

Memories Of Papua’s Pioneers

W. Abel, Of Kwaio

By. J. Nixonwestwood

■R. C. ABEL is deserving of a place of honour in the list of men who spent practically the - of their adult life in assisting ans to become useful citizens, never faults some other •ionaries displayed with regard heir teaching and attitude to of the white settlers, Mr. Abel, red by his “matter-of-fact” : i. did more good for the natives che Eastern Division than any r group—including the Admin ! is: ration. oe Rev. Charles Abel was from , \u kiand, NZ, and arrived in Guinea in the early 1900’s, or ■aps earlier. Being a very de i ined man, with a set purpose well as being capable of carrying i rough any project he started, he soon successfully established at , Kwato. Here he began an in : industrialised branch of the LMS, (reducing sawmilling machinery, , - a:i teaching the “boys” carpentry ork, boat-building and certain i Phases of elementary engineering, •such as was applied to combustion r engines of that day and age.

On the “Sinabada” side, Mrs. Abel i as equally proficient in teaching I he girls how to become useful in : homes, be they “Dim Dim” or native :homes. Sewing, knitting, embroidery work, cooking and baking were all 1 1ought, but in both the boys’ and ■girls’ curriculum teaching and learn ing English formed an important 5 part of each day.

The products of both branches : were of such high standard that the disposal of same was merely a : matter of handing over to the eager : buyers, and as Whitten Bros, were ;the agents, their sales agency helped ] considerably. \ After the trade section was

registered as a Limited Liability Co., all the profits except about 5 per cent, of the net, were used to further the efforts of the Mission. Papuan In dustries Ltd., of Daru, followed a similar line, but although the Daru firm was under the guidance of Cap tain Walker, and managed by a D. C. Harman, it never reached the pinnacle achieved by Mr. Abel.

With their outlook on life gener ally, both Mr. and Mrs. Abel could take real bush boys and girls and in a few months have them well trained. They did not, as some missionaries felt necessary, make religion the beginning and end of everything. They adopted a line that religion can be better understood if the subject is able to at least know something of the “three R’s”, and their approach was almost exactly the same as that used in parochial schools (in those days), in New Zealand. Hence the 95 per cent, success which attended their efforts.

Their attitude towards newcomers to Kwato had so much character in it that seldom did they find they had “adopted” a dud, and whilst they

were very strict disciplinarians not! ing was overdone, and the coi mercial side of Kwato never clashr with the religious teachings. work was stopped at noon eat Saturday and the workshop clos until Monday.

Each Saturday, cricket was ii dulged in, and seldom did the Eun peans on Samarai beat them. Teni was also taught and these two gam brought out the best in the scholai Mr. and Mrs. Abel were entire responsible for all that had be accomplished.

When the Europeans vis i t e Kwato for cricket, the whole of t; male population of the Isla:, accompanied the team, and aps from seeing some excellent play, t social side was most enjoyable. T activities of the Abels was ; example of what could be achievi and the players on their return Samarai felt that a few more char able missionaries like the Abn would help civilise the nativ quicker than some of the methoc then in vogue.