SALVATION ARMY WORK

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1933, Page 6

SALVATION ARMY WORK

ELTHAM’S 39TH ANNIVERSARY VISIT OF COMMISSIONER. EXPERIENCES IN SOUTH AFRICA. The 39th anniversary of ths work of the Salvation Army in Eltham was celebrated by special services this week, including a visit by Commissioner and Mrs. Cunningham, Brigadier A. Scotney, • Brigadier and Mrs. Cottrill and Ensign Thorne. There were special services on Sunday and last night there was a jubilee tea and citizen’s meeting. Yesterday at the Eltham community luncheon Commissioner Cunningham was the speaker, and in his talk he related his experiences and impressions in South Africa. It was in 1893 that he went to South Africa as a young S.A. captain, he said. While there he learnt Dutch and came into close touch with the Boers. Africa was a vast country, in which the British possessions alone were 75 times the size of England. Since the days of the Boer War things had made very rapid headway in South Africa. As one with a deep inner knowledge of the Boer mind, and after 20 years in South Africa, he came away with a great admiration of the Boers. The racial problems as between the English and the Dutch would to his mind be largely solved by intermarriage. He was quite sure there would never be a recurrence of the old troubles and difficulties. He was convinced, however, that time would evolve a great South Africa involving a condereracy of all the different States. The speaker drew interesting pictures of Hertzog, Smuts and the notabilities whom he knew. BEST CLIMATE IN THE WORLD. The climate of South Africa was the best in 1 the world. The old idea that South Africa was a malaria belt had long since been exploded. Right up to as far north as the River Zambesi South .Africa could claim to be as healthy a country, as there was in the world. The Commissioner went on to refer to the rapid strides being made by South Africa in farming matters, particularly as regards livestock. The South African Friesians, for instance, were the best in the world, and he recommended them to any New Zealand breeders requiring imported blood. Reference was made to the great Johannesburg gold mines. A number were worked out, but the great gold reef would never be worked out in our day. Diamonds, too, naturally, bulked largely in South Africa’s prosperity. As soon as anyone found a diamond field, -the De Beers people were promptly. on the scene and invariably bought out the claim. But for the De Beers monopoly, the diamond trade would be ruined; diamonds would be sold as cheap as gravel. Alluding to the drought which periodically swept South Africa, the Commissioner said that the sinking of artesian wells would probably largely overcome this problem. In South Af-1 rica there was, it was now discovered, a vast subterranean river which when tapped was used to irrigate rich soil, sometimes 50ft. in depth. ARMY RUNS SOCIAL FARMS. As for the coloured labour in the mining compounds, the speaker was convinced that contrary to what many people thought, there was no form of slavery among the native labour. The natives in the compounds were well fed, well housed, and well cared for in every possible way, and the Salvation Army and other missionary societies were allowed to visit the natives in these compounds. The speaker said he had been greatly impressed with the physique of the natives, which was absolutely outstanding. The Zulus, Basutus and Matabeles were in particular magnificent fine robust men.

There was no poor law in South Africa, no public charitable institutions. When people fell on evil days they fell into the hands of the Salvation Army and other kindred societies. The S.A. had accoi'dingly established various social institutions’, including one which was unknown in New Zealand, viz., social farms. These farms were maintained outside of Durban, Capetown and Johannesburg, and on them were maintained the penniless and needy and discharged prisoners. This life on the social farms had proved of immense benefit in rehabilitating countless men whose future was otherwise irretrievably lost. In these farms immense dairies were maintained, and these supplied the neighbouring cities. These farms were subsidised in a small way. The Army’s work in South Africa had so won the confidence of the people that the latter had even proved generous to calls for assistance.

In moving a hearty vote of thanks to the Commissioner for his address, Mr. C. H. Courtney said that from a brief visit once paid to that country he could appreciate to the full what had been said about the racial problem. The strength of the Salvation Army lay in the fact that it recognised that man had a spirit and soul as well as a body. DISPLAY OF ANTIQUES. FIRST-CLASS ENTERTAINMENT. Apart from the absorbing interest to be found in the inspection of hundreds of ancient articles, the display of antiques to be made in the Stratford Town Hall next Tuesday has been elaborated to include numerous delightful interludes that will entertain visitors at all times. During the afternoon the valuable antiques, gathered from all parts of Taranaki and other parts of the Dominion into one of the finest displays of the kind ever attempted in New Zealand, will be available for inspection. Then will come the novel “carnival of brides,” in which patrons will be shown with considerable artistry living brides in costumes' as they date back through the years, the material with which they were made and the styles then in vogue. This carnival has taken a great deal of thought and preparation and is scarcely likely to be again available to the public of Taranaki. Some of the historic costtimes are insured for hundreds of pounds. Subsequent to the bridal carnival a musical programme will be given by Taranaki’s foremost artists, and Archdeacon Gavin will deliver an address upon ancient coins. The exhibition will be continued in the evening, when more concert items ■will be supplied and a riotous comedy sketch entitled “Honeymoon Hall” will be enacted. Afternoon tea will be available during the afternoon, and a special hot drink in the evening.