SALVATION ARMY APPEAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2339, 22 December 1914, Page 7

SALVATION ARMY APPEAL

EXTRA' 'ASSISTANCE DURING THE WAR. Sir,—The Salvation Army authorities in New Zealand have decided to organise a national appeal in connection with the war to be known as tho Salvation Army Now Year War Emergency Fund. As your readers arc already aware, tho conditions obtaining as a result of tho European War are of a very serious character. The ordinary income of the Salvation Army upon which it depends for the carrying out of its philanthropic and other operations, as well as its support of its missionary work overseas, has become critically strained. In fact, the General has announced that the ordiuary income which Hows in annually to. international headquarters has cease'd to come. A moment's reflection will satisfy any ordinary mind that whero the manifold ramifications of an organisation are dependent upon help from the centre, the sudden ceasing of supplies must of necessity jeopardise the work of those agencies which, by virtue of their peculiar needs,' must depend upon outside assistance. Apart from these considerations, many and varied institutions in tho Homeland, meoting as they do the needs of thousands of homeless people and persons out of work, have had extra demands placed upon them through receiving hundreds of refugees from abroad. Ordinarily the income to meet the demand has been barely sufficient to make both ends meet, and now, seeing that an extra burden has been imposed upon their resources, the whole. critical situation can be readily appreciated. It is unthinkable in the nature of things that the _ General should have to close any of these philanthropic institutions and turn out upon an already overglutted market a huge surplus body of indigent workers, but this is a contingency that may arise if funds are not forthcoming to keep the doors open. In connection with the war. it should bo pointed out that thousands of Salvationists have flocked to the standard, many of them being engaged in Rea Cross work at the front, l besides fighting in the treuohes. Hundreds have volunteered for ambulance work, joining various lied Gross units. To meet the extraordinary demand for ambulance work, the General has purchased and equipped five Red Cross motorambulances manned by Salvationists. These have been dispatched to the scene of activities. Already £3000 has been sent to tho General from New Zealand, and we are aiming at raising in this Dominion over £5000. We, therefore, feel sure that help will be forthcoming from the generous people of New Zealand, whose ready response and patriotic sentiments have already been manifested in money and kind to meet the needs of the Motherland.—l am, etc., HENRY C. HODDER, Commissioner.