Girard0262

27 June 1843 - Father Chevron to Father Colin, Tonga

Summary

Complains about the quality of supplies sent from the mission procure in NZ: corks in wine bottles had already been pierced - ship’s biscuits inedible, rice and flour, and soap unusable.

For lack of flour to make hosts the missionaries are about to stop saying Mass. The poor quality of their diet is threatening their health, particularly that of Father Grange.

The irregularity and infrequency of visits – ships coming from the outside world – is a big problem. The Tongans see the missionaries as employees of the mission rather than collaborators – so they say they will leave their decisions about converting until the Bishop’s arrival.

The missionaries find the Tongans fickle- “for some tobacco, a knife, an axe... all would convert”.

The Brother”(!) is not happy about the inequality between the prayers offered for a deceased priest and a deceased Brother.