SALVATION ARMY.

Feilding Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 1459, 10 June 1902, Page 2

SALVATION ARMY.

The annual meeting of the Salvation Army in connection with their rescue work was held at the Barracks last evening. There was a good attendance, Mr Lethbridge, M.H.R., presiding. The Revs. C. Murray, A. C. Lawry, S. Henderson, and Robinson, and Adjutant Berry were also present, and addressed the meeting. Adjutant Lane read a letter from the Rev. Innes Jones, regretting that owing to two other engagements he was unable to be present, but expressing his sympathy with the roscue work of the Army. Mr Lethbridge, who was applauded on rising, said that in the cities and larger towns more of the necessity for the work of the^rmy was seen. The Rescue and nre Prison Gate Brigade were splendid evidences of the works which the members of the Army were doing so well. He referred to General Booth as a great organiser, and characterised the Salvation Army as one of the finest organisations in the world. Adjutant Berry, of Wellington, then gave an account of some of the work the Army were doing in New Zealand. He stated that in their Rescue homes at Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland at the commencement of the year there were 73 persons, since then 10 had been received from prison, 51 from the court, and 206 from other sources, making a total of 345 who had been in the Homes during the past year. Of this number 94 had been sent to situations, 61 to their friends, 39 to other Homes and hospitals, 51 left to seek work ; and out of the 345 only 14 had proved unsatisfactory. The Adjutant then quoted several cases in which girls had been taken from great degradation into these Homes, and eventually sent to fill situations as servants where they had given, and were giving at the present time, every satisfaction to their mistresses. (Applause). Adjutant Berry then spoke of the Prison Gate Brigade, workmen's hotels and shelters, and other institutions in connection with the Army work, giving figures for examples showing that great numbers of the submerged tenth and unfortunates had been helped with food and shelter, etc., and in many cases work found for them. The various clergymen gave short addresses, expressing in complimentary terms their high appreciation of, and sympathy with the rescue work carried on by the Army. During the evening songs were rendered by Mrs Lane, and Mrs Woods. The collection amounted to £4 Is Gd, and was started by the chairman with a sovereign. The meeting closed with the singing of the Doxology and prayer.