WOMAN'S WORLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16982, 16 October 1918, Page 10

WOMAN'S WORLD.

WORK OF SALVATION ARMY.

IMPORTANT SOCIAL SERVICE. There lias been av generous response to the self-denial'appeal which is being m.ida at present by the Salvation Army, and the numerous sales of work organised by tho various corps have' been well attended. The work of this energetic society embraces a very large field, and its wide sympathies and tolerant understanding of human frailness have had marvellous effect: in administering comfort arid help to tliosa in need, materialising in the establishment of. industrial schools, rescue homes, maternity homes, prison gate homes, workmen's homes, and numerous other activities. In an interview Adjutant Gordon enlarged upon the scope for special work among girls on tho threshold of womanhood, who, through lack of training and unhappy environment, were left to drift, without an aim in life and little prospect of an assured future. . Small wonder that these girls hanker after a life of pleasure, said the adjutant. Their childhood is often spent in an overcrowded home, lacking even the decencies of everyday life, and in many cases thoy have becomo accustomed to deplorable scenes between father and mother, ending often in the severance of all family ties. The , great aim of the Army is to get) hold of these girls before they have made an irretrievable step, and by taking them | out of their sordid surroundings, and giving them a different outlook on life, force them to realise the consequences of a wasted life, The help of women pojieo in this direction would be invaluable, bub it must be remembered that no good can come from continual censure ana curtail* ment of liberty. In the home?, ■whifeli in the majority of 'cases are no longer designated rescue homes, the system employed in dealing with the girls is .very , different from that of five years ago. The individuality of the girl is taken into consideration, and when possible she is given congenial work.' In ©oat oases the result is surprisingly satisfactory, endjfieie girls who have come from homes in TpUohtho outlook, mentally and..morally, was from one backyard to another, take a new interest in life, and willingly set to work to better their own conditions. On tie subject of clothes, Adjutant Gordon spoke very strongly,, anathematising the very short- skirt and the indecently tow-necked blpifce worn 50 much in the street. This style of dress" was having a disastrous effect on Our young people, and doing untold harm, she declared. Extravagance in dress was to bo found from all quarters, Mid the-time-payment system was very much abused, leading girls into positions from which they were unable to extricate themselves, Tho lade of training was responsible ' for much' of the evil easting" (a* the liyei of young people, and the introduction of tho teaching of so.-c hygiene, said the adjutant, would be of inestimable /benefit, MueliiJsMld - also be done by men for our growing boys in warning them of errors Md pitfalls. , In regard to the wwk- of tW Army during tho past winter Adjutant : Gordon Raid .the season had ptovftd one of great hardship to many famjliw, and the: call for help had •? been • jn/j wtotfc , Although there was nO actual poverty, many families bad had a very ; heavy struggle. The average wage of .the working-man was from £2 10s to £2 15s & wsek, a«d after paving a .rent of from 12$ 6d to 15j : a week, and ,4? 6d ■> week for coal, there was very little left to provide for a family of, « & four or fire children- vln many instances "the Army had been able to render assistance -by gifts, of second-hand clothes, ( which had, wen, donated' or. collected by houje.to-hoiHieaTOeals. and, said the' adjutant,* it was a joy to see the thrift and energy expended' by hard, working women in-making over these garments for their. little one?.

; -v■ _ BSD CROSS ACTIVITIES • :The first working committee of tie m year d the Women's Patriotic League met last-weak. The ewjgraWationsof flu league were extended to three members of : the executive Jlwd«nM BncWeton> Mw fwlaiie and staury upon ft* bvww of i membership tie Owf ;of the British : P&pire conferred upon them for .patriots work, ' Two resolutions recently passed by the executive were read, for tie information of the'committee, ' 1 Tibe first was that the eiecufivo would take po part in any effort to raise money for patriotic purposes where ( gambling adraiisiwi 'tickete gambling machines we iced. The. other resolution waa that •so canvassing {or guessing competitions, etc., /or, fop signatures to any petitions should. be permitted during the packing of gifts, as this tends to .harass the packers, who are busy at their work. . . ; i, - Upon an announcement that the ' vaeatm .wul: extend from if»9 second week in December, to i}io' end of February, which means, that to ; the general, public the league ? office wil! be closed, eeveraj of the conveners made appeals for, help for their respective committees. .The Literature Comwittee asked helpers )to get well forward with the book-repairing and pacing. before the vacation; the Schools' Committee for sewing of ' handkerchiefs; no .'few than 30,000 • handkerchiefs - are required before Pecember for the various packings. ■ Mrs, Buckleton, of the Bed (Sow Sewing Committee, also requested that : all hospital ' requirements should be main, tft&ed,.; in f order ■to fill, the depot stores ; for rwmremepts, or to meet urgent appeal tfiat . may oomo during Vmnm, January or February. '■• Ae an instance of the calls made upon the league, there baa been a' special request for. booKs for a hospital ship, and, iij response, three cases "of books have been packed. Over 3,00,000 books ' have been distributed to camp's,' transports, hospU tals, convalescent , homes, end hospital ships. Magazines are required in large quantities and at ; 59 time is the' etoply of books sufijoient for the demand. /

THE POWER OF. THOUGHT,

■j' The last of n series of addresses arrowed bv the committee ojf the Mothers' ,Thami Guild was given at the Grafton Library on Thursday, when Mm. Hemus spoke on "The' Power of Thought." 'thought as a power. wag perhaps ojore potent than any known force said the (speaker. It was well to determine. what ■ thoughts to now and what to reject. All evil thoughts should be quickly rejected and good-thoughts put in their place. Control of the rnuid was then gained, aiid- the character of.'the individual, strengthened. By our thought® we can also help ethers, the vibrations gent forth, from one' mind being, reproduced jo»tbo minda of others, thus affecting them; for good or evil. The, strong thought of a great, thinker goes into the world of thought; it is caught by many, who. in turn strengthen' the thoughtwave, and by this means large masses of people i architected, In conclusion,. the speaker said that the judicious use of thought would work wonders, end byjts power women could do mucVto alter social evils and other unsatisfactory conditions. Before dosing the meeting the president, Mrs. Waghorn, said the committee hotted to 'arrange another course of addresses for nexi year. At present the membership numbered 1450. The guild wag also working in Australia, South Africa, the United -States, and Canada.