GENERAL BOOTH

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10611, 9 June 1920, Page 4

GENERAL BOOTH

A CORDIAL RECEPTION S.A. LEADER ARRIVES: “TEN THOUSAND WELCOMES.” General \V. Brain well Booth, com-mander-in-chicf of the Salvation Army, who arrived in New Zealand by the Moeraki from Sydney last evening, was accorded a rousing welcome by Wellington Salvation Army members. Commissioner Hodder (head of the Salvation Army in New Zealand) was the first to hoard the vessel and greet the general and his staff—Commissioners Lawley, Kitching, and Lamb, Adjutant Bernard Booth (eldest son. of the present general), and Staff-Cap-tain Smith (private secretary).

Tho Moeraki ,which had arrived in the stream an liour or so before, berthed at Jer-vois quay, No. 16, berth, and the space between Q and R sheds was, by permission of the Harbour Board, occupied by the Wellington City Salration - Army Band and a largo and representative gathering. Among those present were: Colonel Mclnnes (chief secretary), Brigadier Gist, and headquarter officers, a number of ■ officers from the various branches _ of the Army’s social work —the industrial home, the maternity hospital, etc., as well as of the evangelical section, the boys and girls Irom the Salvation Army orphanages, and the cadets from the training college. The training cadets displayed a large banner inscribed, “Ten ' Thousand Welcomes to Our General,” and numerous bannearets, bearing inspiriting legends, were exhibited by the various institutions. A large number of the general public were also present. The Moeraki had been expected alongside by 7 p.m., and the great crowd had assembled long before that time, but- the interval was beguiled very pleasingly by selections by the city hand. One or two pieces were also played by the Wellington South band, drawn up outside the wharf railings. INFORMAL, BUT CORDIAL. The reception was ■ of a purely in« formal character, but the large number of Salvationists present, the hallelujahs, the cheers, and the hearty singing showed that they had come, ip Cbloncl ALclnnes’s phrase “to give the general a royal, affectionate, New Zealand welcome.” As the Moeraki drew close to the wharf the band played the Doxology, which was heartily sung hy those present. Three rousing, cheers for General Booth followed ; and then, -at a call frorn the ship, tho band played a number of lively airs. Tho cheers were again and again renewed as General Booth, waved to the great gathering from the deck of tho vessel, and as he. descended the gangway to he greeted hy Colonel Mclunes and the headquarters staff, and ushered to the motor-car awaiting him. “LIFE IS WHAT WE MAKE IT.”

Standing up in the motor, General Booth said, "I am very delighted to see .you all. it was very good of you to come down and give mo this rousing welcome. You have been waiting a Long time to see m,c. and I have been waiting long to see you; but hero I am at last, and wo are going to have a good time of'it. (Cheers.) I feel that you Salvationists are all pleased to see me.—(cheers) —and there arc many things I am going to say to you. You won't like all of them —(laughter)—but you will like some of them. (Applause.) SoVne of you here are not Salvationists —-(laughter and applause)—and® 1 should like to say a few words to you. (Applause.) What a wonderful thing it is to hava a life to give away. Life however, like money, is not much in itself. It all depends upon what vou make of it, how you spend it, what you can win with it, what return you can get for it in this life, and in the life to come. Thank God, life, if put to noble use, will bring to aU of us a grand return both here and hcreaffinal outburst of cheering, a stirring selection, by the band, and General Booth. who. is to be the guest of Commissioner Hoddor, drove away. Every facility was given to the fcatvaitiou Army authorities by itno Barhour Board for the reception, and admirable arrangements for the comfort and control of the crowd had been made by Captain Mclnroe, the wharfinger. and by a body of police under Inspector Mcllvenev- . , « Owing to the delay m the arrival ot the Moeraki. the civic reception tc General Booth has been postponed. The General, who is to commence his campaign in New Zealand m Christchurch, loaves for the South Island- by to. night’s ferry steamer.