MARCHING ON.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2109, 28 March 1914, Page 5

MARCHING ON.

SALVATION AUMY PROGRESS

IN NEW ZEALAND. LAST TWELVE MONTHS' WORK. It is now tsreuty-ciglifc years siiwo tlv® SaTvation Army began aporatiws i« New Zealand. The first officers who landed hero ivero "Ciiytnin Barfoot' aiui Major Pollard, and tbey came to 'Dunedin in response t-c> a. Ibtfcr and eltoquo for i:Ji.)O, idiicii was forwarded to headfiuartcrs ia Louden by a Dunedin isdy — the late Jlj's. (/arolino Valpy. Quito icecntljr New Zealaiifl »as dotnehed fiom the Australasimi eoinniand and placed" under Ceriimissionof W. J. Richards, whs is rc.sjMiisi:bio . flireetsy to London. How tho Atmy In New Zt.ala'.ui lias [»rogr«s36d since tlio ftoitntvtesioiier took up the wins was outlined in a paper which was read at the congies-s at tlio Vidian Street Citadel yesterday by Brigadier J. 11. Cray. ' j The New Regime, { As timo tveivt by (said the Brigadier)., | and New Xcak.nci devclffped tram a | colony into a Dr.minioii, there also;! grew up a strong i!-.aticfiia,l sentiment.' i This existed also within tlio ranbß of the Salvation Army, and the tat© general (and aiso tli.o .present general) felt. that tlio timo bad come when Xtw Zealand should wo longer form it portion &f the Australasian eonisiand, bnt bo nuncio a separate territory, having its own commissioner responsible dii'ertly to international headquarters. This step was heartily approved by the majority of Now feibiidurs. Tlioj-e is how not a shadow of a doubt that it was a good decision. The results have far wore than .justified the eourso taken.. Commissioner William J. .Richards was chose® as the first leader o,{ lliat tatifc for tho new territory:, Ho and Mrs. Rimrds, with tiievr s?'ii a arrived at Wellington quo Wet, cold morning, eighteen months ago, and w'c-ro received by a loyal body ot Salvationists. His opening reception meetings in tho four large centres—AVdlip.gto:';. Christ <\hiiri:h, Aucklsmci, and Dumtlin—were attoidod by large crowds, all,;? tlie cftniiiiissifinei' proved h.iinself to lie a speaker anil preftclvfir. i'ho first f«w_ months were largely devoted to travelling ill order jo vencli as irtan.y corps as possible, Wliilo tlio coffiroissioner hiis pwfe fortli special eil'ori's in miain diroctious, ho has kejii an cyo on tivo whole, ;md S.n. advaneo ail niong tho liajo lias been t'lio result. Du-iiig tire first -six wnntlis lib term., Lioutcimnt-f)of'.'ii?l Alto Vislior assisted as tho <sJitcf secretary, and ften folliiivccl a Hnv months, wltliout a 'cliief sdc'iotftty, until tlio arrival of Liettten-Eiit.-C-oionel Albert Powley—a capable mail —to tako that position.

the Young Pcoplo-. Aimmg sjiaci.il efforts iflaclo by tlvo Coromi&skrficr vroro tliojso for tko .vttmg people. These efforts were tftwvnofl with BticfteSSj S3 tlio following figures. of tlio. increases «n the roll Suriiig flip Inst i' 2 mmttlrt showlncrease in junior soldiers' roll, 219; increase in number of names on register, (102; increase in iutmter of meetings hold, 1.829; incrcas.o in attendance, exclusive of companies, ■!-1.953; increase in number of Company meetings, 1738; increase in attendance Tit. company meetings, 20,91)3 : ineteaso in corps cadets, 70 ; increase rnattinidaneo at corps cadets' prepatatioii class, : 368 { increase iii. SWiabet .of .-:yfiiift:R people's workers, 59. 'J'ii"so advances amen? tlio 1 young people havo made in-creased-accommodation necessary, fjeveral piae.es liisve already tad additions made to their, buildings, iiamelv, Wel- • lington, 'Syrfcnliarnt.,- p.ahivoyii'ka, Jiltiv ton, Palmeriton North, and oshers. Senior Work. . In almost every phaso the senior work lias slknvti s'igtts of advancement-. j'lio year ended with tlio following increases '; —Corps, 6; officers, 13 j soldiers and recruits, 135 ; "War Cry?," 30,707; yaiiiig soldiers, 14,115; sol®ers' op.enair attendances. 1.5,918: week-day' attendances, 20,31:3; local officers, 320; converts, 209: financial incoifte. £57.03 ■Is 3d. _ The Women's social work lias shown evidence of permanent improvement. First,, Micro stands the fine new maternity hospital, em.ctcd at Grey Lynn, Auckland. It is one of the most up-to-date of its clais in No'w Zealand. At Diir.edtn, tho women's uncial possesses ft fine brick residence, charmingly situated at Ifoslyii. For ov&r twoiity jours tlio maternity work in "Wellington' has' been seriously hampered owing i<j. fact that it has had to he- carried oiii' ill buildings not designed for the purpose. .Nevertheless, good work Iras beeii accomplished, in spite oi this. Last year a splendid house and land was purchased in Kensington Street, Extensive additions and renovations a.ro now complete, and tho building is .now equipped to meat isvet? recjitiromeiit of .tlio medical and health authorities, Rescji.o homes have bcoft renovated and improved in appearance. The boys' and girls' liojHos have? JiPon extoiylc.d of renovntod, ana a .splendid now laundry has- been erected at Parnell.

Tho men's (social work, also, Iras .received it-S share of attention. At. Koto Koa Island (for inebriates) substantial additions havs ljocft hku.'o to tiro buildings, and several important- alterations l-.ftvo been carried out to tho Workiiiea's Homo at Auckland.. Property and Flnsnolal. T]io property and financial departments of iiio organisation show timt 'during the past eighteen months ti;o pioj/ei'iios Iravo bfieii added ttt t« tim amount, of £40,000, and £.is,()i.l!l of vlte s.'nno has been raised • in eash, contributed by t.iio pcoplo of the fisiminio.il. In additioti, largo sums imve been spart in MuovatioiiS, 'j.'he chief building oreeted was tho William liootb. Slciiiofsal Ti-aining College, a fine cdifiee, tlxo land and building' costing be opened ki « few days fjy tho .Hon. F. M. R Fisher. Tliis College ai'id tin). tSireo fi.fio maternity hospitals previously mentioned arc. tho primary item®-, but there aro others of great, import. ftHcd, .viz.j li uew. scii.c.HiD at Wanganui, fomprisittg stj.lon.ditl brick citiidpl., a Y.P, hall, nnd' an office.fs'' qu;ar'to'K» ©ti olio krgo Mottle of ground, Tho wliolo schonw is nearly cam.pletc, ftiv.fi will fartif 0110 cf tho lincst- prc'pcities which tho Army has for field purposes iu . these southern lands. Laud has also been sa--oufcxl and Salvation Army , halls crested at Mount lule.tij Aticklaiid, Kilbirnie. Uraoklyn. Lotr«r H«tt, Foxtori ,nitd Riwftoh, With rospeet id sotpw,! ot'her phc® such us Tauina.TUn.uij To K.u'itt. I'.'oro.'i, Gonrii'le, .liasfc Wangainii, Quoenstown. Invorc.arjifll South, AVaikiwi, Castkcliffe. l-'rankion JilMtioil, Hnmiitoitt Kist. la.nd has been scc'tired niul schemes fof buiH'ijigs aro in preparation for bouic of them. All tliis shows the- aetivit.v of tlio or.gahisat.ion, and maiws clear iSist it .wafi a W'ise clecisimi to make New Zeabnid a so.prtrAto territory, mid thai tb(> Geueral's choice of a leader has net. been niispTascd, b'ut fisl'ly justi'fled by tin) record 0/ aeltievcii'cnl which can be claimed by Co'maiisswuot Wiliiam J, .RWtnfds.