WE CANNOT SPARE HER.

Observer, Volume 9, Issue 532, 2 March 1889, Page 3

WE CANNOT SPARE HER.

It is with sincere regret that I hear Mrs Hutchinson is thinking ct severing her connection wit n Auckland, and betaking heiself (at the express invitation oi the Salvation Army people) to .Brisbane. For more than rive years now has Mrs Hutchinson laboured amongst the Auckland poor and ministered to the wants of the friendless, the desperate, and the alilicted. She is far better known in the Auckland slums than some parsons I wot of, and she works with an untiring and single-hearted devotion to the task she has set herself which has won for her the respect of all classes of the community. Even the brutal larrikin and the hardened ruffian have a good word for Mrs Hutchinson, and will doil their caps to her in their rough way when they meet her on her daily rounds. She is safe wherever she goes, and it would fare ill with the man or woman who should dare to insult or molest her.

11l reclaiming the fallen Mrs Hutchinson has been extraordinarily successful. Whenever a particularly diilicult or delicate case presents itself to the notice of the Army workers the cry is : Where is Mrs Hutchinson ? Let me give you a ease in point : About 18 months ago a very pretty young gir], only about seventeen years of age, most unhappily for her, made the acquaintance of a man connected in some way with the Tramway Company. By this man the poor girl was seduced, under promise of marriage. The betrayer seems to have been even more than usually heartless, for, not content with ruining the girl, he must needs, after he had grown tired of her and had deserted her, boast amongst his acquaintance of what he had done. These men got hold of the unhappy girl and she sank lower and lower until reckless, desperate, utterly indifferent as to what became of herself, she ran away from home and went on the streets.

Her's was a pitiial case indeed. But a few short months before the girl took that last desperate step she was innocent, pure, happy, idolised by her parents, humble working people who had no suspicion of trouble coming. Then the seducer crossed her path and she went to the bad. Her parents were heartbroken. Her father refused to believe the story of his daughter's shame at first, but when he could no | longer doubt it his heart hardened towards the sinner and he vowed he would never see her again. ! # * # A week or two ago somebody told Mrs Hutchinson this girl's sad story. The case was a difficult | one to handle. The girl had been leading an abandoned life for nearly 18 months, the father had steeled his heart against her. What was to be done ? Unpromising as things appeared, Mrs Hutchinson went to work as cheerfully and hopefully as ever. She sought out the girl, and with rare tact and delicacy showed her whither her steps were tending. For the first time the poor girl saw her position in its true light, and hardened asshe was, she thawed, so to speak, under j that kindly, genial influence and thankfully consented to leave the life she was leading for ever. 5F $fc $ Now came an equally difficult task— to soften

the heart of the father. But it was done, and only a few days ago, daughter and parents met and were reconciled. lam told it was a touching scene, and I can believe it. # # * This is but one of countless cases where Mrs Hutchinson's influence for good has made itself felt.

I may say in conclusion, that I do not know the lady personally, have never exchanged a word with her in my life, and should not even be able to recognise her if I met her in the street, but her good deeds have reached me. Again and again have I been told of the good she is doing, and knowing this, I say — we cannot spare her. If, however, she cannot be prevailed upon to stop with us, if duty seems to call her to another sphere of usefulness, then she should not be permitted to leave Auckland without some public acknowledgement of the great service she has rendered to the community by her untiring labours amongst our criminal classes.

Since the above was written I learn that Mrs Hutehinson has definitely decided to proceed to Queensland, and that she will leave Auckland in the course of the next few days. lam sincerely sorry to hear it. She will be missed in many a humble Auckland home, where she has been as a ministering angel, and it will be hard indeed to find a successor for her as a worker in our slums and dark places. I trust that she will be accorded a public farewell, and become the recipient of something more substantial than an illuminated address.