Arrival of General Booth.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 87, 9 October 1895, Page 2

Arrival of General Booth.

[Per Press Association.] Wellington. Oct. 8. General Booth and staff arrived from London by the .steamer Bimutaka thisi afternoon, and the former landed shortly before five o'clock on Jervois Quay from the Government launch Ellen Ballance, which had tendered the direct steamer. There was a very large attendance of members of the Salvation Army, members having come from various parts of the Colony to welcome their chief under whose flag they served. There was, too, a large number of the general public present, but there was boisterous weather, a high nor 'wester prevailing which militated against the greater success. Immediately on stepping on the landing stage, the General was received by the Mayor, and Sir Robert Stoat (whose guest the visitor remains while in Wellington), was also present. Mr Luke, on behalf of the citizens, in a brief address welcomed the General to Wellington, and the General in an equally brief speech, expressed pleasure at once more being in New Zealand and returned thanks for the manner in which he had been received. At the formal ceremony General Booth, accompanied by Mr Luke, and Sir Robert Stout, drove away and the Army formed into a procession and paraded the principal streets. The majority of those taking part were lasses, gaily: decorated with ribbons bearing the word ''Welcome." Headed by the Army band the procession marched through Grey, Willis, Manners and Cuba streets to the barracks and then dispersed in order to prepare for a great welcome meeting to* mght, at which Sir Robert Stout presides. One of the noticeable features of the procession was the Maori contingent the chief members of which were clothed in Maori mats, and attracted great attention. General Booth appears to be in excellent health and has little changed since his last visit to New Zealand. At a great social meeting on Thursday the Premier will preside. ' F r "

The Opera House was crowded last evening, when General Booth delivered an address on " The Present Position of the Salvation Army." General Booth - met with a hearty reception, and said that the Army was the friend of real ,~ Christianity wherever it might be, and there^ was not a church of the living God throughout the world which ought not in justice" to give the Army a collection once a yew at least. ' '/