SALVATION ARMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16338, 19 September 1916, Page 5

SALVATION ARMY.

<► ' VALUABLE WAR WORK. CHIEF SECRETARY'S REVIEW. i Av interesting description of the war work of the Salvation Army was gives ! yesterday by Lieutenant-Colonel J. Melnnes, who has been appointed chief secretary of that organisation in New Zealand. He was divisional commander in Manchester, and arrived at Auckland by tho . Niagara. ) After pointing out that the Salvation I Army was established in 59 countries, ho ! said it had taken its part in the European I struggle. It had five motor ambulance units at the front, including 25 cars. Ovef 50,000 wounded men had been taken by those cars from the battlefield, and soldiers I bad declared that it. was to the courage J of Salvationists in taking risks that their | lives had been saved. Other work was. . done by Salvationists, such as writing let. 'j ters for tho wounded, and comforting the. | dying. I Lieutenant-Colonel Mclnnes said the | last thing he did before leaving Manches- ; ter was to visit the nine soldiers' hospitals and call on every New Zealander who was ' there. | Referring to the work of the Salvation I Army in Belgium, lie said its officers had remained there, and had not been molested Iby the Germans. Salvationists had been prominent in distributing relief. When war j broke out (ieneral Booth was in a difficulty with respect to money for work in l the countries invaded by the enemy. Just I then, however, £13,000 was received from i New Zealand, and General Booth had dei clared that never would bo forget that) I gift. It was. as it were, a gift of God, coming at the right moment. Salvationists: had also been sent to stricken Servia, and .relief had been afforded there. I Spiritually, continued the . lieutenant- : colonel, the condition of Britain had • greatly improved. War had created a new ' thonglitfulncss in the minds of men and women. Hitherto pleasure-seeking had . been the great curse. When the news j of Karl Kitchener's death became known, j the pleasure palaces were closed, and other :' amusement arrangements were postponed ■ or cancelled in memory of thegreat soli : dier. ! Li regard to the war. Lieutenant-Colonel j Mclnnes said the unanimous attitude of I the Old Country to the colonics was ono I of pride, and in relation to New Zealand 'especially, because she had done so much iin comparison with her size. . Everyone ! believed in ultimate victory. The expert'mental pushes made by Sir Douglas Haig? ' bad proved that the new British troops ' would beat the strongest forces of the Kaiser. In Britain fortitude, courage, and I determination were to be observed every- ! where. The workmen had given up their i summer holidays in order to meet every i requirement from the front.