SALVATION ARMY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 31 January 1929, Page 9

SALVATION ARMY

LATE EDITION

INJUNCTION GRANTED.

MR JUSTICE EVE’S JUDGMENT. QUESTION OF GENERAL REPRESENTATION. (UliU*.v* ii'itiaa AaavL'lUUuii —JL»y I.JVUIIC at uujjyxigUL.j A'lesa Association.,) Received I. ip p.m. to-day. JL«OiNJJ'OiN, Jau. 30. Mr M. A. Greene, xx.L., resuming rns speech on Deli alx or General xsootn, said :l was nnpossiible to say in at fne Uenerax's heaiifi was not a matter tor adjudication. Tnere- nacl not been proper uujuuiiuation ana tne xlign council was not entitled in deeiumg tne question oi ntness, to taite into consideration allegations and charges calculated to inn uence tne maid, ox tne tmounai wrtnout giving tne ereiierai an opportunity oi meeting tnem. Mr toimmorids, on ibelialf of the High Council, said, that tne ueed qi xyu4 was the only safeguard the Army possessed against tne evil or autocracy, which inigut oecome despqtisni and against tn e vieneral who no longer nhd tne strength or will power, xie Degged .the Ueneral to thuiK again beiore cnallehging this deed. The Ueneral’s writ and the challenge it issues sno'died, every man in tne Army. Everyone who supports the Army from, outside thinks it pitiable that, this action should have been brought. The suggestion that the General had been adjudicated unfit without being heard, was preposterous. The Ueneral, in his own letters, confessed that he was unfit.

Mr Justice Eve, in granting the injunction, said the case was argued splely on tne ground that General .Booth should be heard in deience of the primary question of the validity of the 1904 deed xi'o&ld, only be solved at. the trial action.' The council was certainly empowered to adjudicate anyone as unfit. When General Booth desired time to consider his: position the council passed a resolution which must have suggested to Ueneral Booth .that his physical weakness was the only ground advanced for his retirement. Further, the council’s letter showed the feelings of greatest respect and affection for him. The real question was whether the ooun. cil ought to come to a conclusion without Ueneral Booth personally or by deputy supporting the view that he was still fitted for his post. His Honour could not help thinning that an innocent mistake had been made by giving General Booth no opportunity to be represented by his agents. Therefore the resolution could not stand. The council had, not yet broken up and it was not a matter calling far long delay. •In the circumstances an injunction must he’ limited so as not to prevent the council* at onee rectifying the mistake and ultimately adjudicating on the matter after plaintiff, had been lieard. Replying to. Mr Greene, Mr Justice Eve said: “It is a had resolution.” Mr Simmqnds intimated that the only fact that, could be advanced against General Booth would be his physical unfitness.

GENERAL BOOTH; TO BE HEARD'.

STATEMENT BY HIGH COUNCIL. Received 1.5 p.m. to-day. LONDON, Jan. 30. On behalf of the Army’s High Council it is officially stated that it would be incorrect to say that Mr Justice Eve’s judgment voids the proceedings hitherto. The council meets at the earliest opportunity to consider the next step which presumably will be to appoint a date to hear General Booth’s representatives. General Booth lias not indicated bis course of action. He will first consult his solicitors.