JAPANESE FAIR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1845, 3 September 1913, Page 2

JAPANESE FAIR.

SALVATION All MY WORK. The Japanese Fair which has been organised for tho benefit of the missionary and social operations of' the Salvatjjn Army was opened in the Citadel ill \ ivinn Street last evening by his Excellency the Governor. Commissioner and Mrs. Richards and other officers welcomed ins Excellency, and conducted him to tho platform, where representative citizens also occupied seats. Among them ere the Mayor and the Mayoress, the Hon: Mr Luko and Mrr. Luke, Dr. Newman, M.P., Mrs. A. R. Atkinson, and others. Apologies were received from tile. Hon. F. M. B. Fisher and Sir John Findlay and others. 1 . In welcoming his Excellency Commissioner Richards expressed tho pleasure which his presence among them gave to all interested in philanthropic work. He then proceeded to outlino the work which was included in their missionary and social propaganda. Last year a great effort had bcen.orgamsea m New Zealand, and it had resulted m tho sum of £16,000 having been raised in a fortnight. This year they hoped to get £17 000. The social work of tho Army alone cost £19,000 during tlie twelve months, and it had been gained by the self-denial of Army soldiers and adherents, and by the generosity »f friends. Their institutions for men, women, boys ind ['iris had (bv tho work of their inmates) brought "in a sum of £12,000, which left a margin of £7000. Tho Government grant of £4000 reduced this to a deficit of £3000. In their workmen's homes food and shelter were reduced to lowest possible prices, and during tlie year 97,931 cheap meals had been proVided, and 53,145 beds. They had also provided 10,375 free meals and 11,461 free beds. Tho latter wero for cases of dire poverty, and as soon as these distressed people were lit they wero .sot upon their feet and given work so that they could earn money to pay what they owed for food and shelter. In tho prison gate home 434 persons had been received during the year, and of these 12 had been sent to friends and 185 provided with situations. These were all doing satisfactorily, and 196 were left to find work for when they were lit. In the reseuo homes for women 53 t were taken from tho streets and 72 wero received from tho polico courts. Of these 61 had been put into situations in good homes, while tlio remainder w'ere being trained and proved. His Excellency was then asked to speak. In touching upon tlie work which was done by tho Salvation Army, a work for which he expressed much admiration, tho Earl of Liverpool stated that ho had no knowledge of tho organisation in Now.Zealand, but ho had gained much knowledge of it in Great Britain. Much interest had been taken in it by the late Queen Victoria, and by her son tho lato King Edward, and that interest was being continued by their Majesties tho King and Queen. Everyone presont- that evening would recognise that, when tlio Salvation Army was inaugurated by General Booth many years ago, he had to face every difficulty that a forerunner and leader has had to face. No one of any standing looked upon it as being anything but foolhardy and doomed to failure, but tlio years that followed have shown its value. Politics had nothing to do with the Salvation Army, but in its operations it was' brought , into, close contact with one of the most burning questions, of today—tho problem ot industrial unrest, which every country on tlio face of tlio globe was being brought fiico to face with. Its solution was not yet reached, and would not be for' many years to come, he thought, An organisation such aa the Salvation Army would do much to help to solvo it ultimately. Ono of the greatest difficulties that had to be faced in industrial cities in tlio older'land was the housing problem. He had heard that people in Wellington talked of slums being in their city. He thought there might be, but those who knew the great industrial cities of Germany, France, etc., would smilo at tho contrast, and would rejoice that they had not got them here, as they existed there. Those who laughed at tho Salvation Army when it first started its operations are only too glad to ask its advice and aiil to-day. c Tho next speaker was the Hon. Mr' Luke, who sppko of tho work that was being done by the Army in connection with children, and their training as future citizens of this country. Dr. Newman, M.P. ; was also asked to address the v gathering, and did so briefly and humorously. His Excellency then declared tho bazaar open. The decorations wero elaborate and tho citadel presented quite ah exotic appearanco with quantities of peach blossom blooming from every point of vantage, with /Japaneso lanterns and Japanese maidens m charge of the stalls. Band stall No. 1 was in chargo of Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Capon; band stall No. 2 (children's clothing, etc.), Bandsman Glover and Inman; flower stall, tho Misses Holmes (2); the bric-a-brac stall (largely Indian goods specially imported for the occasion), Treasurer Bowater; married sisters' stall, Mesdames Worthington and add; singld sisters stall, Sisters Stack and Algftr; picklo stall, Mrs. lludman and Mrs. Tremain; apron stall, Mrs. Colvin; doll stall, Mrs. Colledge; fancy goods (young people's), Mrs. Montgomery and Miss Dickio; .stall stall, Mrs. Mackenzie. The songsters and the band gave performances. The fair will be continued for the next three evenings.