A SALVATIONIST LEADER

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 132, 27 February 1908, Page 8

A SALVATIONIST LEADER

INTERVIEW WITH COMMISSIONER • M'KIE. SCHEMES FOR- THE. FUTURE. . Commissioner: M'Kic, -head, of .the Salvation Army for-Australasia-, arrived in Wellington yesterday oil his. last.-visit-., The alert, highly-strung 'fighting: leader has received. inarching, "orders.... lle.'rcc'oiyod\them a month ago, but: he, has. inot yet been informed whore. ho. is -next to tulip , the. lipid.' That is a mere'deteil in the Army.. .The order . may came any day—Jndia,-.-America, England. Tho Commissioneiyis satisfied.. •• Commissioner M ! Kio : lias : been'29 years inthe Army; he is one!.of. a dozeji officers ivho are its oldest survivors above the ranks. Ho served in the fighting .days, and in spirit he appears to live in- tfiom still.'- He-talks like an aggressive champion of tho Army's mission, and be addresses peaceful gatherings of red-jerseyed admirers as' if he were smiting tho .'Amalekites at each' word.. Even when lie speaks in. conversation," his whole body .vibrates ivi'th energy. •:

Future -Wort. •The Commissioner takes an enthusiastic view of the Army's future .work.'- His-own principal efforts, during, tho six aud-a half years, of' his Australasian -administration,, have' been in the direction of. strengthening and improving its internal 'organisation. Speaking to a Dominion" representative, jesr torday, ;no said_ that, when lie made his'first tour-pf Australia and New Zealand he iibted many weak points in , the Army's, management, and he had since set himself to remedy tliein.. .Perhaps he had givpn more, attention to these than to public'Ono thing that was wanted, was. a fund 'for" the assistance, of disabled -or put-worn offi-' e'ers. A fund had been ; established -to, prb' : '' vide- sick allowances'.and pensions; though' the Army in Australasia' was ..only.-25'years old, the pension, fund' for pfficers,/now stood 1 at about £40,000. ' An . attempt." Avas;..being", made 'to • increase the capital !• of/.the .fund during the next . fiv6'iycars : hy 'frPiri -£30,000 to £50,000; so that the-' Weekly /allowance made to sick ..officers miglit/boc.increased;' The allowances were paid .out-* of., interest', without .trespassing..on,.'tlid'/capital.,.'.''.Tho. additional funds required /were/being specially collected, for the. most,-part) rauiong the Army's wealthier friends.'.;.'..-'./'/ t .-}> ~ Minimum Wage. ■' Army 'officers working iii 'the - backblocks are now .guaranteed a. certain "minimum wape,' in ease their district is. too poor to provido . their• proper-salary.' A proposal will be' discussed during the next few days .for incrcas-. ing. this ..minimum by. 50. por .cpnt. Asked if hq was : in favour of. the .inci'ease, the . Com-, missioner said:..'." Certainly ,1 ..am. I; think tho' labourer ■ is worthy of liis liirpj '.and I don't ;think'that the Salvation. Army should rest until every, man gets all: the. salary he is , allowed to draw, and,'that..' is/no niore than will '.k«jep his body .-and ..spill together.":' Social Work. \ During the Commissioner's term of,.office the,s6cial work, of the Army has .developed in Australasia as regards .the, number of institutions and .improvements' mauo Ito .those. No less, than £70,000. luts been spent in tho more purchase of . properties /, ai'/sites for social - institutions: ..Now, • -as .regards" social work, it is the Commissioner's .opinion that the Army no new':worldsoto conquer; oxccpt in regard to 1 emigration its " activity can hardly find new; channels, for it: : is working .them all now./ Tho 'future can only see the' multiplication and extension of work on present -lines. That/is- already in prospect in New Zealand. The:Commissioner,will.gb with Brigadier Albiston to 'inspect a: site wliich may -prove suitable'for a Prison-Gate Homo in Wellington.: '-Tho proposed boys', orphanage at Eltham .• will also ' engagehis attention; a new srii-ls' home is to. be opened at -MiddlemarchV Otago; 'arid. 1 several "other' schemes are - now in' contemplation or per-, formanco. : ./. . .'vi ~ . Is tlio Army, successful, honoured, and no longer spurred by ,constant opposition, likelj'./to l believe ' that it is . better fitted for aggressive work- to-day. than it has ever been;" declared the Commissioner.; _ " Its futur'o iieyer' looked so bright, and it only romains for Salvationists thoiriselves to: be true, to their beliefs, and the Army has that in it that-will force it into the front rank of organisations devoted to the uplifting of mankind." ' •, The great social work which ' started' seventeen; years, ago,, added - the Comniis- • sioner, saved, tho: .-Army' 'from, •' dancer of respectability'.. That- .work still keeps'its members "always down .among the poor, the weak, tho suffering, - ancl ; v . th,e sorrowstricken." /'

Emigration. " V 1 Speakirig_ of.;the Army's• emigration work, tho Commissioner. expressed Iceeri.-■ regrot that, the ■Commonwealth': ind/Now; 'Zealand had refused ■to accopt- tho immigrants, who had y ,been- pouring everV.,sincb; into- 'Canada; and wjiosci :'ssamp.. and- /cjiaraojpr. had- certainly satisfied 1 the Canadian, - Government. Ho 'believed that General Booth,'.hacl an immense project in his' mind ''with'.regard.' to omigrant- 'colonic? in ' Sbutli Africa;* This would; ■ perhaps --be/' the-:,last - effort;' of 'the General's c.aroer; and;.! the Commissioner* thought- that' it, would 'probably involyis mil-, lions... and, that its.- greatness..'would: perhaps-, startle, the ..world'. '; ;