THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1180, 15 July 1911, Page 14

THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS.

RESCUE WORK. SALVATION ARMY'S GOOD IIECORD. "The liridge of Sighs" is the title of a well-printed pamphlet which, passes as the annual report of the social operations of the Salvation Army in Australia and New Zealand. The publication touches each branch of the social work undertaken by the Army, and illustrates particular eases in interesting narrative form. From'this it will be seen that the name of the old bridge in Venice which connects the 'Palace of .Justice with the prison, is not inappropriate, as if. is on this bridge (here is one in every city—that the Army keeps watch lost someone should sink beneath the mire without a hand being held out to help them back to social terra finna. About its Rcscue Homes tlic report says: "We have in Australia and >,e\v Zealand fifteen Rescue Homes, with an accommodation for 373 girls. During tho past twelve months 530 women were admitted, 'J9 of these were remitted by order of the Court, and 518 were passed out. Of the latter number 153 were restored to. friends, 172 were paced, into situations, 31 transferred to other honies or hospitals, and four died, 'lhe average «tav of each girl in tho home was 3.> weeks. No fewer than 205 girls, professed conversion, and only 72 proved unsatisfactory. •• MATERNITY HOMES. "Oulv one 'woman was discharged as unsatisfactory in alt our eleven Homes in Australia and New which have a total accommodation iOi -o»J women. During the past year GSO womul were admitted and bG-> passed out Ot this, number 388 wore sent to uemis, - J were placed into situations, * 011 rtl \t 355 professed salvation while in e homes; Gli children were bo m homes, an'd.- B8 of these were sent out. to j;o adopted." ' PAKATOA.

TMnrring to the worker. at Pakatoa Si>ud and. Hutlies. : Island. oDoii 140 men luivc passed tlnou o n, J« men avo' at present in the home, makinir a total of 233 men who luivc coiue under our care. These wen from all classes—from the most lUituaie l'o intelligent men of high culture, ineluding doctors, lawyers, merchants, mechanics, down to the humble shoe-black. Men have arrived at the island in all sta-es of alcoholism, some almost too weak to walk; these have speedily recovered under the kind ami able trca - ment of our honorary medical officer, r Barter. We have also had a lew ~a<i cases, where bright minds were undermined and'enfeebled with drink to sue an extent that four cases had to lie transferred to the mental hospital toi tr "li™the two island sanatoria- in New Zealand (Pakatoa and Eoto Koa) and t'ho two Australian sana t°"J wo have during the past year a<l" l * . 150 men and women, chiefly bj c om order. Ninety-six were dischaiged during the vear, and 115 are at present in these homes. Already the accommodation is much too small ior the need and the demand. BOYS' AND GIKLS' HOMES. "We have (continues the report) in Australia nine girls' homes, with an accommodation of 3SI. During the year 191° were admitted, and 160 were sent out as satisfactory. Our boys' in,lustml homes number also nine. At the I) Binning of the past year wo haiK,.B ( l os in these homes; during tho year 232 otliei* admitted, and. 197 sent to friends or situations as satisfactory, leaung 3 3 bi>ys in tho homes at the end ol the year."

FACTS AND FIGURES, The Salvation Army lias, in Australia, the following institutions under its control -Research sisters' homes, 1,->; maternitv homes, 11; girls' industrial homes, 0 • bovs' industrial homes, 9; prison-gate Mi gulp' homes, 7 ; old: men s homes, 4; inebriates' sanatoria, .4; mens shelter.; 5; women s shelters and slum post, 5; people's palaces and mctropnles, 8; hospital, 1; total institutions, 78. .... ~ Besides the institutions there are branches of - police court work, league of mercy, samaritan work, registry office, district nursing and special relict work in many cities and towns. In the above 78 institutions the Army shelters on tho average 4440 persons each " Leaving out the shelters, people's palaces, and metropoles, where peojjlc come ami go nightlv, they admitted into the CO homes 3347" persons, and passed 30(i7 out, of which 097 were sent, to friends, and 958 placed into situations. Only 74 out of the total were discharged as unsatisfactory. Six hundred and twenty professed conversion in tho homes.