SALVATION ARMY

Evening Star, Issue 22620, 12 April 1937, Page 2

SALVATION ARMY

THE DIVISIONAL CONGRESS AHKUAL SOCIAL REPORT PRESENTED The annual social report of the Salvation Army was presented by Lieu-tenant-commissioner Adams at yesterday’s session of the Dunedin Divisional Congress in the Town Hall Concert Chamber, the report setting out in detail the work being done by the Army, not only in New Zealand, but also in other parts of the world. The mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) presided l , and there was a large gathering of representative citizens, officers, and supporters. During the meeting addresses were given by Adjutant Coombs,, who told some of her experiences during her term as Samaritan officer, and Brigadier Dry, Dominion secretary of men’s social work, who dealt with the work among the men and boys. The Rev. C. H. Olds led in prayer, and items were given during the afternoon by the Dunedin City Band and girls from the Anderson’s Bay Home. Introducing Lieutenant-commissioner Adams, the Mayor paid a compliment to him and to the great religious organisation he commanded on the wonderful work it had done for God and humanity during the comparatively brief period it had been in existence. “ About a century ago,” the Mayor continued, “ there was a great industrial movement in England that completely altered the life of the people. England had always been an agricultural country, its trade interests being mostly associated with its shipping. for it carried the cargoes of the world; but with the growth of manufacturing in factories that took place last century it suddenly became the workshop of the world, its trading interests spreading to the far east and the remote west. The trade revival was individualistic in character, and while it greatly increased the standaid of living for the majority of the people, it so altered conditions of life that the poor were left in a very much worse plight than before. They no longer enjoyed the protection of the feudal system, they were isolated from the old methods of gaining a livelihood, and the distress of the unfortunate became increasingly acute. “ Into this maelstrom of distress General Booth and his heroic helpers came as the angels from heaven, and by their fine example of service and the publicity gained very gradually their new methods of appeal created a social conscience amongst the great body of comfortable individualists who. in gaining riches for themselves, had forgotten or despised the increasing section of distressed people about them. The great work, begun to meet the dire needs of great city populations, has spread across the world and has found • universal commendation and support.” To his mind, concluded the speaker, the one weak spot in the system was that the most capable officers bad to spend too much time on the doorsteps of supporters instead of being free to carry on their beneficent work. Under an ideal system, which they, unfortunately, seldom got, the Government would let the Army get ahead with it« work and find the money for it. That might never come about, and perhaps the Army would' not desire it, but in the meantime the need for this great service still existed, and they must provide that service with its supplies. _ln his opening remarks, Commissioner Adams stated that, while he would not go so far as to say that the Army would flatly refuse Government assistance, he did not believe the work could be carried on under such a system of finance. “ It is now 25 years.” be continued, “ since the founder of this movement passed _ away. Perhaps we are too near rightly to appraise him; nevertheless, there are certain facts which compel our attention to him, and which in themselves reveal him—his conviction, his compassion, and his courage. All these facts may be included in one —the fact of the Salvation Army. The Array is the result largely of one man’s consecration. Moreover, it is William Booth multiplied for those who are really familiar with the spirit of the Army to-day know that there is no departure from the purpose and passion of the founder. St. John Ervine has designated him ‘ God’s Soldier,’ and perhaps no designation could be more fitting.” Detailing the Army’s position throughout the world at the present time, the speaker said that there vere 16,776 corps and outposts, 1,607 social institutions, 1,602 day schools, 32 naval and military homes, 190 food and shelter depots, 180 hostels for working men and women, 176 slum posts, 93 maternity hospitals, as well as 280 other social institutions, including hospitals, eventide homes, leper colonies, etc. These were guided and controlled by 35,536 officers and employees, and were scattered over 90 countries and colonies throughout the world. There was great necessity to-day for a national conscience on national and communal evils, and the Army claimed the right to protest with vigour until there was a further awakening on these matters.

In his early years the founder was attracted to the East End of London. His whole being was stirred as he iame into daily contact with the poverty and squalonr, the sip and the vice which abounded on every hand. He computed that there were 3,000.000 suffering in a “ sea of misery.” With these facts before him, could thev wonder that he knew no rest until he had done much towards rousing the national conscience on the social evils then existing? Without doubt it was these facts that brought about the launching of the Darkest England soheme and the bringing into being of the social work of the Salvation Army. “ And now let us turn for a few moments,” the speaker continued, “ to that which is of paramount importance to us who are gathered—the social work of the Salvation Army as expressed in New Zealand.” _ There were, he said, 34 social institutions in the two islands, providing assistance for the needy of all ages. They included seven children’s homes, four industrial homes for women, seven industrial homes for men, five eventide homes, five maternity hospitals, two island colonies for inebriates, one boys’ training farm, hostels, shelters, and labour yards. Prison visitation, police court work, hospital visitation, the inquiry and missing friends department were avenues through which many were helped. During 1936 1,339,812 free meals, 215.186 cheap meals. 290,274 free beds, 103,576 cheap beds were supplied to needy folk through the Army’s institutions. The five maternity hospitals were meeting a great need. The Wellington Hospital had recently been extended ; a new wing had been built and the entire hospital remodelled and brought up to date, provision being made for ante-clinic rooms. This at a cost of over £6,000, which, h© was glad to sav, had been secured. Tho hospitals were working to their full

rapacity, and in most cases there was real need for extension. Through the eventide _ homes the Army was meeting a national need — caring for the aged. All the homes were full, and most had a waiting list of those who were desirous of entering the homes, so that, although she had, since coming to the Dominion, opened two new homes of this type, something more would have to be done to enlarge their borders in this direction. The home for aged men at Wallaceville, opened just over 12 months ago, with accommodation for 25 men, "had already been increased to take a still larger number. Commissioner Adams also referred to the work being done at Roto Roa and Pakatoa Islands.

“An analysis of the position,” he continued, “ discloses that 77 per cent, of the men who have been with us do well. Their names may not appear on church rolls, but they become good citizens and re-establish themselves in the general life of the community. There are two branches of our social work which make a special appeal to my own heart—our work amongst those in the evening of life, and our work amongst the children accommodated in the homes I have mentioned. They are being cared for by devoted workers who attend to the needs of these growing children, the objective being healthy souls and the making of future citizens well equipped in every way to take their rightful place in the life of the Dominion. “ Whilst this afternoon we have been considering the social work of the Army, I would, in my concluding remarks, emphasise _ the fact that we are equally a spiritual force, and our only hope, as the founder declared, for the permanent deliverance of mankind from misery, either in this world or the next, is the regeneration of the individual by the power and through the blood’ of Jesus Christ,, to Whose social teaching the world owes all its humanitarian efforts, all its hospitals, all its asylums and its hope for the ameloriation of all the ills and all the inequalities of life.” Votes of thanks were accorded to Commissioner Adams and the Mayor, the movers of the respective resolutions being Mr W. T. Wilson and Lieutenant-colonel Walls.