WAIMATE SALVATION ARMY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIV, Issue 22739, 13 November 1943, Page 3

WAIMATE SALVATION ARMY

Diamond Jubilee Visit by Commissioner Sixty years ago Captain Herdman raised " the flag of the Salvation Army in Waimate. To-day, as Mrs Inglis, she will be present at an old identities gathering which marks the opening of a week-end of festivities at which the diamond jubilee of the Waimate Corps will be fittingly celebrated. The celebrations will be marked by the participation of Commissioner J. Evan Smith, territorial commander of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, and Mrs Commissioner Smith on Sunday. The Commissioner will give an address on General Booth, in which he will speak about the private life of the great philanthropist. Bands from the Timaru and Ashburton Corps will assist the Waimate Band at the various functions. Many difficulties were met and overcome since the days when the young Waimate Corps met in the old wooden Temperance Hall (now demolished) of the bushmen. To-day the Army Citadel Is a commodious brick building, and the Corps, though 10 members are on active war service, can provide a band with 18 instruments, nine played by women, and a songster brigade. The band- z is an institution and is heard on all occasions when the call for community effort is made. Mayoral appreciation on many occasions has been expressed for help given the borough socially and spiritually, by the Salvation Army Corps of Waimate, which under Adjutant Selwyn Smith, faces a future full of promise. Soldiers’ Graves After receiving a report from Mr J. M. King on his efforts to obtain Information about the graves of soldiers buried in the Waimate Cemetery, with a view to the provision of headstones where they were not already provided, the Waimate Returned Services’ Association approved a proposal that a special area be set aside for the burial of servicemen. The president (Mr D. Newall) occupied the chair. Mr King was authorised to continue with his present task, and he was deputed to approach the Cemetery Board with the object of having a special area allocated for soldiers’ graves in any new area opened by the board. A report on progress is to be made to the next meeting. Mr D. M. Webster reported on hospital visiting for October, and Messrs A. Jacobs and A. J. Kirby were appointed visitors for November A congratulatory letter about the annual reunion was received from the Oamaru Returned Services’ Association. The work of the Rehabilitation Committee was dealt with by Mr E. R. Wilson, the Association’s representative. Regarding privilege leave for widows, Mr Wilson said the Rehabilitation Committee had considered this question to be outside their province. A further remit had gone forward to the Association’s headquarters from the recent Chritschurch conference. A report on pension cases was made by Mr J. M. King. An invitation is to be extended to Mr T. A. Wilson to attend next meeting and explain the proposal advanced by the High School Board for the establishment- of n community centre.