RESCUE WORK IN AUCKLAND

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 166, 14 July 1914, Page 6

RESCUE WORK IN AUCKLAND

I 1 MANY DIFFICULT PROBLEMS. LACK OF IIO.MF. IXFLI'ENCE. DRKSS. DRINK. AND CIGARETTES. . I BAD HABITS AMONCST (URLS. . I ' j Sonic plain talking took plaoe at the 'luminal rescue meeting of the Salvation j Army last evening, when officers in • t-liiirni- uf tlie rescue homes controlled ' by tlie Salvation Army in Auckland, presented their annual reports. In the absence of the Mayor. Councillor K. Tilde- ' hope presided, and there was ii Urge altciulaiK-c A very intcn.-tiiiLt address was that •riven by Adjutant Cordon, iv pwentinj? her annual report, dealing with the adniinistiiitioii uf tlie Rescue Home at I'arncll. At the present time, dlie --aid, there fen' |ihirt*.-tli.ree .girls 'in i'.io home, and thought she -would bring the full ci«iiilic:i!H-e of tlie position before ller audience «jien she slated that the average age of girls eighteen yearn. 11 it careful oWrvntion.-. convim-ed her that in Auckland there was a great deal of sinful neglect in regard to the duties and responsibilities of homo life, .lust a* good government made for ihe progress; and happiness of 11 country, so good home government made for good families and good citizens. But in Auckland the way in cliich many parent.* .shirked their n.pon-ibilities was deplorable. Home life w.ns unattractive to children, and -o. once out of control, they cpent tiiei" Icisiirc time elsewhere. Hence the ultimate stream of young girls into institutions such as the Rescue Home at ParI'lell. The trouble often 'began with the bad example •which parents tlicm■.elven set their t-liildren. At an early age lioys and girls learned lv do »•< their parents did —look beyond their homo for pleasure and excitement. So in time they came to live a lie Disrespect towards parents, was altogether too frequently met with. The fact, I hat the average age of the gills under her control was only eighteen served to indicate how young many of them were when they nve.nt ar-'tray. Perhaps one of tlhe greatest factors making for trouble wan extravagance in the matter of dress. Young girls d roused expensively, in fashions which it was almost a wonder society at large permitted. -Many parents seemed to have lost all sense of decency in this respect, and girlsj who were still only children were allowed to roam the streets; dnviscil above ttneir years, in fashions that at any ago might well be questioned. Cases had come within her personal knowledge in which young girls had been guilty of theft, and even .worse, in order that they might satisfy tlhis craving for smart drcr.s. In fact, the speaker had no hesitation iv saying that this constituted one of the gravest evils of the present day. Tlie desire for excitement and pleasure was- the natural outcome of lack of home control, and flliis led to further serious trouble, liriiiking was a growing evil amongst young women, and ouseis -were coming under her observation with increasing frequency. Recently two girls 'were sent to her, each tinder the age of twenty-one. Amongst their clothes when brought to tlie institution was a quantity of beer and cigarettes. Drinking and smoking went on to a far greater extent Mian wa- generally imagined, and were habits which it was very difficult to contend against. A better home influence constituted the main hope of better results, but the trouble .was that so many unsuitable marriage- took place. Women became wives and mothers without possessing any adequate knowledge of how to make a Ihome attractive, and so the trouble (■"tended. Adjutant Cordon concluded an interesting address witli a plea for a more widespread interest in the question of "good government" in tlic home. Captain Davis, in his report upon proceedings at the Pri-on (late Home, said that in twelve months lilli men had been admitted, including men discharged from prison, from the hospitals, and elsewhere. Of the* number lil had gone out to situations. !)(> had gone out to seek work, 7 had been sent to friends, li to other homo. 21 had been dismissed, and 40 remained in the home. ln addition 38.(182 meals nnd beds had been supplied, lv the course nf his. remarks, Citpt. Davis said that the officers had assisted prisoners on discharge, and provided food, clothing and shelter for the needy. He referred to numerous cases where pood results had been obtained. One <-ase quoted was that of a young man who had attempted suicide in Auckland. The Salvation Army officials had taken him in iiand. nursed him back to a happy, healthy frame of mind, and discovered that he was the son of a man occupying a position as the head of a (iiivcrmnciit. in another part of the world, dm of the consuls in Auckland had quietly undertaken correspondence which reunited father and son. and grateful letters recently received by tlie : Salvation Army officials in Auckland indicated that the. young man was now not only glad to be. alive, but very grateful to the officials here for what they had done for him. Other cases were quoted of happy results, and it was I indicated that the institution had <-erI Uinly more than justified its existence iin Auckland. An interesting report on the work of the Rescue Home and Workmen's Home was given by tlie officer in charge. Adjutant Creswoll. During the quarter I ended June 20 last 11,0117 meals wer-> j dispensed at the Workmen's Home, an I average nf 121.81 per day. Of these 1.774 , were free and 047 on orders. During [ the same period !1.K."i4 peopl,. occupied 'beds, the average being 1 05..-, ,1 day; 542 of this niimlx'r received their night's ■ lodging free and H47 on orders. The .-uni of tTiO 12/4 was utilise,! in giving free meals and beds ill the three months. The Adjutant stated that never was a needy case turned away.