THE SALVATION ARMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21160, 18 April 1932, Page 10

THE SALVATION ARMY.

SPIRIT IN NEW ZEALAND. PRAISE FROM GENERAL HIGGINS. "I have met a fighting force of men and women during my four weeks' four throughout New Zealand, whose spirit is equal to that anywhere in the world, said General E. J. Higgins, world leader of the. Salvation Army, in the course of an address to .a largo assembly at the Town Hall yesterday. General Higgins, accompanied by Mrs. Higgins, arrived in Auckland by motor-car from Hamilton on Saturday morning, and will leave for Sydney by the Aorangi to-day on his return to England. Beside a tour of New Zealand, visiting 15 leading towns, General Higgins has been in Canada and the United States since his departure from England in February.

The Mayor, Mr. G. \V. Hutchison, in welcoming tho world leader, said an apology was due to General and Mrs. Higgins on their return, visit to Auckland, owing to the fact that a section of the community had not been on its best behaviour. He wanted to assure thein, however, that the percentage of peoplo who had caused the disorder was small, and that the heart of Auckland a$ a whole was loyal. He praised the work of General Higgins, and wished him to carry away a message of goodwill from New Zealand to those in the Old Country. "Nothing that has happened in Auckland during the last few days will ever change the good opinion I have of this city," said General Higgins, who stated that he had encountered such incidents in other parts of the world, and had come to realise that those who made the most noise were not in the majority. "I will carry good reminiscences away with me that New Zealand is destined to occupy an important position in the British Empire. My faith is in New Zealand," he added.

General Higgins gave an account of the activity of the Salvation Army all over the world since it was founded by William Booth. Hymns were sung and prayers read during the meeting, and the Salvation Army band rendered items.