THE SALVATION ARMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18180, 28 August 1922, Page 8

THE SALVATION ARMY.

DEPARTING COMMISSIONER. SIGHT YEARS IN DOMINION. RECORD OF GOOD WORK,. Commissioner H. C. Hodder, who has seen in command of the Salvation Army's work in New' Zealand during the past sight yearsi will leave Auckland by the Niagara-to-morrow far Canada, where he will take charge of the army's activities, ;overing an immense area. During the period which Commissioner Hodder has had control of the army in New Zealand all branches of the work have widely developed. As some indication of the manner in which the social work has been extended during those eight years, it is interesting to note that the number of orphan children housed by the army in th« Dominion has increased from 150 to 500. N<iw homes have been founded in all parts of the country, including " The Grange" in Auckland. The Island Bay Home for Boys, at Wellington, has beisn doubled in size, and the home for girls has been enlarged. A new home for boys has been established at Temuka in the home of tho late Lieutenant-Colonel Hayhurst, and a new home for girls has been founded at Dunedin. A homo for boys and girls has also been established at Hamilton. Another notable development was the establishment of the farm at Putaruru, where nearly 100 boys are training for farming, accommodated »either in the orphanage or the training institute. A large workmen's home has been erected at Wellington and an industrial home for men established at Mirimar. Work in connection with young people has practically doubled. During the war the 6um .of £150,000 was raised by the Salvation Army for war purposes, and was expended to provide comforts for the Dominion's soldiers at the front and in the carnps, and on buildings in connection with war work. In the eight years of the commissioner's term of office the sum of £94,000 was spent on building or improving social properties, while £40,000 was devoted to institute purposes during wartime, both in New Zealand and in England. An institute was established at Codford (Salisbury Plain), and at Etaples, in France, while a convalescent home was also supported in Norfolk. Besides these institutions, institutes were maintained in the camps and a larce hostel established at Featherston, where relatives of the soldiers could spend their le«t few weeks with their kith and kin. Commissioner Hodder was created a member of the Order of the.British Empire in recognition of his services during the war Commissioner Hodder, who arrived in Auckland yesterday preparatory to leaving, expressed his complete satisfaction of the" work being accomplished by the army in the Dominion. "We go," he said, speaking for himself and Mrs Hodder, "with happy memories of a useful eight years spent in Nrw Zealand. We love the country and love the people, though we would like to see it more largely populated. The hope of the future must lie with the population, for every man makes work." The commissyroer will be accompanied to Canada by Mrs. Hodder and Captain Ivy Hodder, both of whom have been closely associated with his work in the Dominion. The party will be accorded a aroweil in Auckland by' a number of prominent Salvation Army officers who have come up from to see their departure. - ~ Oomnussioner Rodder's future headquarters will be at Winnipeg, and his territory will extend west v to Vancouver and north as fa? as Alaaka. The commissioner is being relieved in New Zealand by Commissioner v R. Hoggard, who wuj arrive from South. Africa on October 4. Commissioner Hoggard is I an officer of 41 years* standing, three; years of which have been spent in charge j of the army's work in the South African Union, including Rhodesia. His home was originally at Beverly. Yorkshire, and he has the distinction of being the pioneer of the arnrjjfs work in Korea, He also was in charge of important work in Scot- ; land for some time. His wife is a keen ! worker in the cans**.