SALVATION ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26042, 4 January 1946, Page 4

SALVATION ARMY

WORLD LEADER ARRIVES EVANGELICAL CAMPAIGN (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Jan. 3. The international leader of the Salvation Army, General George Carpenter, and Mrs Carpenter, arrived by Tasman Empire Airways flying boat from Sydney to-day. They are to conduct a month’s evangelical campaign in New Zealand before going to some of the liberated countries of Europe. General Carpenter said that this would be his last campaign tour before his retirement, which is due to take place in June. The High Council of the Salvation Army, he said, would meet towards the end of April to elect a new general. Election of New General

“The result is quite unpredictable,” General Carpenter said. “It was when I was made general more than six years ago, and, according to the terms of the regulations governing the appointment, any person at all may be chosen, although, of course, it would be unlikely that anybody but a leading Salvation Army official would be selected. The next general might, however, come from any country, including New Zealand.” On his retirement, General Carpenter said, he hoped that he would be going back to his own country, Australia, to live. His present tour haa been undertaken for the purpose of inspection and to conduct evangelical campaigns, and he was particularly glad to be able to visit New Zealand, which he had not seen since he first left Australia 34 years ago. One of his chief interests, General Carpenter said, was in what might be done by various countries to increase their populations by immigration. Before the cessation of the emigration schemes from the United Kingdom some years ago, the Salvation Army had a very big programme for assisting people to go to the newer countries of the Empire and had transferred more than 200.000 from Britain. Most of them went to Canada, but some came to New Zealand and Australia. “We would be happy,” he said, “to cooperate with the Governments of the United Kingdom and the receiving countries in any schemes that might be developed in the future.” Welcome to Dominion General and Mrs Carpenter were met at the flying boat base by Captain the Hon. D. E. A. Winn, A.D.C. to the Governor-General, Sir Cyril Newall. They were also welcomed by Commissioner J. Evan Smith, the New Zealand territorial commander, and by many other officers and members of the Salvation Army. ~ d ,, ql At an informal reception General and Mrs Carpenter both replied ,to a speech of welcome by Commissioner Smith and songs of weicome by a Maori party and by children from the Grange Home, and expressed their pleasure at being able to visit New Zealand and their gratitude for their welcome. After the reception they were taken to Government House and were received by the Governor-Gene-ral.