PRESS DELEGATES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9477, 14 December 1918, Page 5

PRESS DELEGATES.

SALVATION ARMY PRAISED

[f the V.M.C.A. has risen to t!i« height of , greatness in tiie splendid . work it has. done for the soldiers of the Allied forces, it may with truth be wiid that tho Salvation Army in onVf losfier degre-6 haa eaa-nvd their gnttitude and their losings. It, too, has carried out during the whole of the war a. fine *whemo of Jielji for our soldier:>, as Avell' as performing for tl«> unfortunates of the 'world the great services which have e.irnexl for it thft respect and the gratitude of civilised peoples.

The writer of the^ notes, during Ms <horfc stay in London, was courteously invited by officers of the Army's headquarters' staff to visit the admindswativo quarters, Queen Victoria St-reet, and from there go by motor car on ft tour of inspection of a number of th«» service hostdls and other places whera tho Army carries on its humanitarian work. An* extenshe, li.st of visits had bwu mapped out, hut from the first it. was obvious that this wouldVhave to ?*■* greatly modified, and in tho result, Although -several houi-s were devoted to the tour, not a- fifth part of tho ground could be covered. On our arrival at \ the head offices it was a pleasant surprise £b find that an 'opportunity was<to be n(lorded for a short talk with General Hooth. He is an extremely busy man, hut wa3 greatly pleased to be able to converse with a New Zealand sympathise! about tin* Army's world-wide work in the canst* of Bufferino: hum.irutv. T]y> General «pok<3 of the Army's earnest effons \to help the nation's .soklkvs in every way it pcssibly could, ar.rl sywviiU inquiry w.us made by hint ns to th» hv™ £<■■* of Llio Army's work in New Z'"«J.ind. E was able to assure him that the Salvation Army was held in hi^h esteem in tho Dominion, where ib commanded widespread respect m»l received generous practical help from tho people. General Booth asked me to convey.^ as a. special message to the people of New Zealand, his profound gratitude for their support, and also his belief that 1 never in the history of the Salvation Army were its ministrations in Great Britain and 1 other counti-ies; more generously; appreciated than they are at tho present day. .He added that Japan.and" China, were at thel present time fields'.'•M&t ' were having .the Army's spec&l'attention, and he looked forward to, a continuance and yet wid-. er extension- of the benefits the Army had, with Dunne he^p, conferred, on those who were- mi sore'need of succour i and comfort. ,- '*; \

In London iliis great organi-ation has established ■ hostels, for soldiers and: oilier service men in. ten centres of population. These afford accommodation, for 2150 men, and in addition to thorn there are many hostels-operating in the provinces, arid extensive huts in many of the military camps. - / In the course oi' a .long afternoon's visit, we inspected a number of-' the j .Army.'s branches, alt of them admirably conducted, and rendering a fine service to those whom misfortune ha#over^aken. But, it is obvious that I cannot enlarge further on the social side of the Salvation Army's work. <It is much too vast a subject lo discuss in detail here. Nor with respect to work among the troops, can I do more than generalise. But a-s least, as regards this work, should 1 s-ay' that it is a, very valuable kind? It is, of course, obvious to a. visitor to London that the V.M.C.A. holds a paramount position iv the service it renders to-the men of our forces (and iru this connection I do not here refer to the E«d Cross, which has its special field of activity), but the Salvation Army in many; ways fills, an appreciable gap. And not only does it do this is respect to its kindly solicitude for. the. welfare, of our. soldiers, but it has afforded help to the military authorities in many ways, auch, for example, as the establishing of hosbete and , canteens for munition, workers, and canteens for men employed 1 in other national work. Two large places formerly fitted up as homes-are now.equipped as soldiers' hostels, and are greatly appreciated by those soldiers" who'make thoir homes. virile in London. ' ■■-""'.>> '■' Standing out "prominently among -the" , Salvation Army huts in. 'military camps' is,that at Codfordl' 111 the course of a visit there, the. New, Zealand, press delegates had the pleasure of inspect-" mc this feature of Codford camp lifo. It is in chrgo of Staff-Captain Wifttcm, formerly attached to the Salvation Army in Dtmedin, who has established himself as a great/ favourite with'the boys, an& is a power for good among them. He is indefatigable in his efforts to promote their comfort, and' supply them with amusement in the shape of concerns, etc., held m the largo * hall, which is usually filled with, a cheerful crowd, sometimes, numbering as many as 700 or 800 men. It need oisty -bo said, in conclusion, that it' is a pleasure to the Dominion's press delegates to be able to testify to tho yakiablo'work the Salvation Army continued to do in Great Britain, among soldiery and the people v.Pike.