THE ARMY AND THE POOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2258, 10 June 1897, Page 55

THE ARMY AND THE POOR.

The annual sosial report of the Salvation Army is in our hands, and in connection with the coming monster social annual, to ba held in this city from June 12 to 16, calls for special notice, giving as its does a record of rescue and reformation that will fairly astonish even those accustomed to hear of gcod work being done by this indefatigable organisation. The report consists of some 4-0 pages of letterpress and illustrations, and is deeply interesting from beginning to end, every chapter^ detailing pathelic stories in which the Army has either befriended the fallen girl, reclaimed the criminal, or reformed the wild, harum-scarum youths and girls who have been brought under their firm but kind government. Commandant Booth, in the opening chapter of the report, thoughtfully observes :—": — " The social work of the Army in these colonies eetm to me to have reached & point where it is capable of enormous development. I have novr seen it in its entirety. I have visited its various institutions, and studied carefully the conditions under which ib i 3 being carried on, and I see no reason why ib should not achieve for the Governments and people among whom it works accomplishments far outreaching anything yet anticipated." It will interest our readers to learn that' in New Zealand alone the Army has a network of social agencies iv full operation which are undoubtedly saving the colony many hundreds of X>ounds annually by the rescue ot poor unfortunate girli and the rcc'.arnatioa of criminals, who are in many cases permanently reformed. In addition there is the noble work performed by the Army nursing sisters in the Maternity Homes, besides tho efficient aid rendered to the unemployed. The Array has in New Zealand no less than four Rescue Homes, oue Maternity Home, and two Prison Gate Brigades, in which 25 male aud female officsrs are fully engaged. Commandant; Booth, however, does not stop here, but in a somewhat bold scheme for Auotralasia,- which bears tha esprefs've title of a "Move On," seta forth that New Zealand is

to have during the coming year additional institutions and extensions. Mr H. H. Booth's justification for thus extending the work in this colony is thab •' in many of the colonies the special acts on the lines of social reform passed by the Legislatures afford us splendid facilities for progressing our work amongst criminal classes and the children of the unfortunate. Such facilities seem to me Lo open wider spheres of usefulness, into which we cannot but enter, trusting to God and the generosity of our friends to support us. This great social scheme operates on a similar scale in each of the sister colonies, so that when the 1 great day shall dawn whioh finds a federated .Australia it will reveal a national network of ameliorative social agencies fully equipped such as will place the colonies in tho foretront ol' the world in the shapo of Salvation Army institutions." i The institutions mentioned in the report have dealt with no less than 3525 persona during the year. Of this number 1158 were women, 273 bab&3 and children, 1959 men (ex-criminals, out-o'-works, fee, &v ), aud 155 boys and girls, who ore for the most psxfc Government wards. In addition to the abovo the inquiry department undertook the difficult task of trying to find 1015 missing people, and succeeded in considerably more than 300 cases. Of the rescue and criminal cases, over 80 per csnt. have proved to jbe permanently reclaimed. In fact, the stories , from real life with which the book abounds go far to convince the reader of the sterling quality \of the work accomplished. Of course there is a financial side to the work, and the Army doen not neglect its duty in this respect, either iv the • way it sets forth its accounts or its appeals for ! funds. The total amounts from all sources, 1 "including the labour of the inmates in the various institutions. " was £10,781 10* 7d. Of this amount £1052 16s 6d was raised and ex- | pended in New Zealand. The pamphlet contains a pathetic appeal from the pen of Mrs Booth, tho gifted and energetic j j wife of the commandant. This lady is the head ' of the rescue work in the colonies, and has j lately gone into the lowest parts of Melbourne, having midnight meetings with the fallen \ \ sisterhood of the streets. j We commend this report to the notice of our I readers, fully believing that colonists will j generously support this noble effort to cope j with the distressed sons and daughters of 1 Australasia.