The Army and the Poor.

Feilding Star, Volume 31, Issue 278, 31 May 1897, Page 2

The Army and the Poor.

The aunual social report of the Sal?atiou Army is in oar bands, and calls for special notice, giving as it does a record of rescue and reformation ibat fairly astonishes us, accustomed as we are to bear of good work being done by tbis indefatigible organisation. Tbe report; consists of some forty papes of letterpress and illustrations, and is deeply interesting from beginning to end, every obapter detailing pathetit stories in wbicb the Army baa either befriended tbe fallen girl, reclaimed the criminal, or reformed the wild, harum-scarum youths and girls who have been brought under their firm, but kind, government. Commandant Booth, in tbe opening chapter of the report, thoughtfully observes :— " The social work of the Army in these colonies seems to have reached a point where it is capable of enormous development. I bare now seen it in its entirety. I have visited its various institutions, and studied carefully the conditions under which it is carried on, and I see no reason why it should not achieve for the Governments and peoples among whom it works accomplishments far outreaching anything yet anticipated." It will interest our readers to learn that in New Zealand alone tbe Army has a network of social agencies in full operation, which are undoubtedly saving 'the colony many hundreds of pounds annually by tbe rescue of poor unfortunate girls and the reclamation of criminals— who are, in many cases, permanently reformed. In addition, there is tbe noble work performed by the Army Nursing Sisters in tbe Materity Home, Christchurch. The Army bas in New Zealand no less than four Rescue Homes, one Maternity Horn*, and two Prison-gate Brigade Homes, iv which 23 male and female officers are fully engaged. Commandant Booth, however, does not stop here, but in a somewhat bold scheme for Australasia, which bears tbe expressive title of a " Move On," sets forth that New Zealand is to have, during the coming year, the following additional institutions and extensions : — A Food and Shelter Depot for Men, Christchurch ; a new Maternity Home, Auckland ; a new Maternity Home, Wellington ; purchasing sites aud building new Rescue Homes in Christchurch and Dunedin ; purchasing new Prison gate Brigade Home and Workshops, Auckland. Mr H. H. Booth's justification for thus extending the work in tbis colony is that in many of the colonies the special Acts on the line of social reform passed by the Legiilaturea afford splendid facilities for progressing the work amongst criminal classes and the children of the unfortunate. " Such facilities seem to me," he said, " to open wider spheres of usefulness, into ■which we cannot but enter, trusting to God and the generosity of our friends to support us." Tbis great social scheme operates on a similar scale in each of the sister colonies, so that when the great day shall dawn which finds a federated Australia, it will reveal a national network of ameliorative social agencies, fully equipped, such as will place the colonies in tbe forefront of tbe world in the shape of the Salvation Army iustitutions. Tbe institutions mentioned in tbe report have dealt with no less than 3525 persons daring the year. Of tbis number 1158 were women, 273 babes and children, 1939 men, excriminals, out of works, etc. ; and 155 boys and girls who aro, for the moet part, Governmeut wards. In addition to tbe above, the Enquiry Department undertook tho difficult task of trying to tiud 1015 missing people, and succeeded in considerably more than 300 cases. Of the rescue aud criminal eates, over 80 percent, have pro veil to be permanently reclaimed ; in fact, the stories from real life with which the book abounds go far to convince the reader of the sterling quality of the work as accomplished. Of course tbere is a financial side to the work, and the Army does not neglect its duty in thi3 respect, either iv the way it wets forth its accounts or in its appeal for funds. The total amount from all sources (including the labour of the inmates of the various institutions) was £10,7bl 10s 7d } of this amoun^

fiOdi los dii \. .is ■■■•!-■■ J aid »;Xj;uliUud iv Nev. Zoaloud. Tlip pampliiot contains a patliotic Hppcal from the pen of Mrs Booth, the (-ifend and energetic wife of the Oommaudant. This lady is the head of the rescue work in the colonies, snd has lately gone into the lowest parts of Melbourne, having midnight meetings with the fallen sisterhood of the streets. We commend tiie report; to the notice of our readers, fully believing that colonials will generously support this noble effort to cope with tbe distressed sons and daughters of Australasia.