SALVATION ARMY

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29227, 10 June 1960, Page 17

SALVATION ARMY

New Leaders To Visit Qty The newly-appointed leaders of the New Zealand Salvation Army, Commissioner and Mrs A. J. Gilliard, will arrive in Christchurch on Saturday morning. Before they return to Wellington on Monday, they will inspect Salvation Army social welfare institutions, conduct meetings at Sydenham, Linwood, and in the Christchurch Citadel, and attend a welcome ceremony on Saturday evening in the Victoria street Citadel.

Born in Yorkshire, Commissioner Gilliard saw much of Great Britain before he left school. He

travelled throughout the country and attended many schools when his Salvation Army officer parents received corps appointments in different places. After working as a typist and book-keeper, he joined the staff of the "Halifax Courier” as a reporter. In 1921, after some years in journalism, he entered the International Training College of the Salvation Army In London.

On leaving the college, the commissioner received two appointments as a corps officer before he was appointed to the army’s editorial department. In this job, he travelled through Russia, on the trans-Siberian railway to Japan, Korea, and Indonesia, as v ell as by air throughout North and South America, on campaigns with General A. Orsborn, world head of the Salvation Army. In 1947, Commissioner Gilliard was appointed field secretary for the Salvation Army western territory of the United States, and in 1950 he became chief secretary for the southern territory. From 1954, he was principal of the army’s international college for officers—a college giving selected officers specialised advanced training. More than 500 officers attended the college while Commissioner Gilliard was principal.

The commissioner was married in 1923 to Lieutenant Dora Mayers.