FORTY YEARS IN INDIA

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1078, 16 September 1930, Page 7

FORTY YEARS IN INDIA

SALVATION ARMY OFFICER RETIRES FROM SERVICE TO LIVE IN NEW ZEALAND After spending 40 years in India in connection with the Salvation Army, with but one furlough every seven years, Colonel J. Melling has earned a life of retirement. With this in view he arrived by the Ulimaroa this morning, accompanied by Mrs. Melling, and intends to take up residence in New Zealand. It was in 1890 that Colonel Melling sailed from England to take up Salvation Army duty in India. He was stationed at various parts of the country, but in most cases his work took him north of Bombay. A young and energetic man in those days, lie found little hardship in living in a small hut, on a salary of a few shillings a month. There were the primitive tribes to handle and in this work arose many difficulties. But now, says Colonel Melling, times have changed. During his long stay in India he has seen many marked changes to the good. There are now many thousands ot‘ workers, natives of India, connected with the Army, which has also about 500 European workers. Even now many of the masses do not appear to bother a great deal and seem to merely thank God for the rain and sunshine and the good tilings which are sent to them. But. generally, the progress made has been astounding. UP-TO-DATE HOSPITAL The Army has a very fine hospital there with up-to-date dispensaries. Also some farm colleges, one of which has 2,000 acres of land, mostly fertile, and irrigated. Just at present, however, conditions in India are very unsettled, especially in Bombay. The Congress people seem bent on upsetting the Government, while a portion of the Indian Press is most prejudiced and doing a considerable amount of harm, says the Colonel. In respect to Gandhi, there is little doubt that his intentions are quite good, but he cannot control his people. British rule appears to be fulfilling all that can be expected of it and the time is certainly not ripe for self-government. The Simon Commission report was given a rather mixed reception and it was no doubt the cause of a little trouble there. Yet it was fair and most comprehensive. Colonel Melling claims that education is still the cause of a considerable amount of the trouble in India. The people become educated and then consequently clamber for the higher and better positions. In a number of cases they cannot attain the desired heights of their ambition and then be come disgruntled. Often they are not suitable for the higher positions and if they acquire them, invariably cannot hold them down. NATIVE DRESS WORN The Congress adherents, however, did not mind the work which was being carried out. by the Salvation Army and did not endeavour to pul any obstacles in the path of their work. All the Army workers, including the Europeans, wear the native dress. It is the Army uniform there and it was not until Colonel Melling and his wife stepped upon the steamer bound for New Zealand that they attired themselves in the uniform known to New Zealanders. Colonel Melling speaks three of the Indian dialects and has more than a mere smattering of many others. Mrs. Melling is a Norwegian by birth and joined her husband in India from Norway about 10 years ago. She also took up the Army work with her husband. Three years ago Colonel Melling’s son took up residence in New Zealand and is at present fruit farming in Hawke’s Bay, and it is their intention to go and settle in that district.