IMPRESSIONS OF WORK BY SALVATION ARMY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28802, 24 January 1959, Page 14

IMPRESSIONS OF WORK BY SALVATION ARMY

The work of the Salvation Army in providing centres and hostels for business girls and working men in many of the countries he visited made a great impression on the divisional commander of the Canterbury-West-land Division of the Salvation Army (Brigadier F. Searlei. Brigadier Searle returned to Christchurch recently after a five months tour of Europe. Canada, and the United States. While he was in France, Brigadier Searle visited La Peniche (The Barge), near the Austerlitz Bridge, on the, river Seine. “The barge provides accommodation for 125 to 140 men every night. Some of the men are down and out. some straight from prison, and many are jobless. The task of the corps is tp assist them in any way possible and to help rehabilitate them.” he said. “Also in Paris are two other large establishments, the ‘Palais des Femmes.' a hostel which accommodates about 500 girls each m separate rooms, and the cafeteria in the hostel can provide hot meals tor almost 1000 persons. The other is the ‘City of Refuge,’ where 500 men and women are provided for at a cost of roughly Is fid a night.” said Brigadier Searle. “Many large hostels providing similar amenities are also very active in England, and the Salvation Army there is at present conducting government - approved schools for female delinquents “ The standard of eventide homes in Canada greatly impressed him. he said. Most of those he visited were palatial, complete with television. concert rooms, and every

possible convenience, even to telephones in each room. Brigadier Searle’s prime motive m the United States was to observe the approach and methods of dealing with alcoholism “People from many walks of life avail themselves of the help given by the Salvation Army, and about 20 per cent are successfully cured,” he said. During his stay in England, Brigadier Searle undertook a two months’ course at the Salivation Army International College at Sydenham Hill near London There, with 23 delegates from various countries, world conditions and the organisation’s approach to them were studied. “The borps is maintaining its position throughout the world, and it is interesting that by head of population New Zealand has the third largest corps in the world.” he said.