AJSAHistoryVol5Iss2 September 2020

Trek diary – what actually happened
The following record of what happened on the actual trek is based on reports published in the New
Zealand War cry from August 1972 to January 1973, supplemented by personal memories from
several trek participants.

On Wednesday 16 August, the team assembled at 5.30pm at the Railton Hotel, Queen Street,
Auckland for a pre-flight briefing. This was the first time the whole team had been together.
Divisional leaders Lieut-Colonels Wesley and Marjorie Simpson accompanied the team to Auckland
airport where the team boarded the 9.30pm Air New Zealand flight to Nadi. Arriving at midnight, the
team were immediately struck by the heat after the cold of the New Zealand winter. After clearing
customs, the team picked up three rental cars (Datsun station wagons), arranged by Salvationist Lester
Harford of Tasman Rentals, Wellington. The cars conveyed team members and personal luggage
while heavier luggage went by air freight to Suva.

The team finally reached the Tabua Motel (manager Abbas Khan) around 2am where they
stayed overnight at a cost of $4 per night per team member. McStay reported that some of the team
managed to sleep well despite the constant barking of dogs.24 Apart from this night in a motel, the
team stayed in pre-arranged billets for the remainder of the trip.

Breakfast at Tabua Motel on the first day in Fiji25
Front table (l-r): Anne Aitken, Wilfred Arnold, Marie Janes, Beverly McStay, Brian McStay, Paul

Bennetts, Jill Bennetts, Enid Weggery.
Back table (l-r): Shirley Smith, David Major, Donald Oliver (obscured), Patricia Richardon

Unidentified in kitchen or absent: Ken Dawson, Gerald Thorner, Edwin Whiteside,
Lawrence Weggery (taking photo?) Lyndon Weggery.

24 The war cry, (New Zealand, 14 October 1972), 8.
25 Courtesy of NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.

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The next day, Thursday 17 August, saw the trek proper get underway. The team briefly looked
around Nadi and then drove to Lautoka where two open-air meetings were held in the main street.26
David Major spoke at this open-air meeting and remembered the difficulty McStay had in getting
people out of the duty-free shops, onto the open-air stand and on with the programme.27 The team
then visited the local market in Ba after which they drove onto Suva by the King’s Highway,
experiencing only one puncture. As they passed through the villages, people came out to greet them,
having been informed of the Salvationists’ visit through radio advertising.

Open air meeting outside Ramish Store, Lautoka.28
Team members facing camera, L-R: Patricia Richardson (in front of car), Edwin Whiteside,

Anne Aitken, Marie Janes.
Arriving in Suva, the team went to the Wesley Methodist Church, Butt Street, Suva where they
met New Zealand Salvationists resident in Fiji including Miss Alice Lloyd, a former New Zealand
officer. Also present were the church minister, Rev Inoka Navulivau and other church and committee
members including Ken Hart, who took time off work to support the team and attend all trek meetings.
After some refreshments and a time of fellowship, the team had a choir rehearsal before going to their
billets.29
On Friday 18 August, while team members worked on their own reports and surveys and got
to know the city of Suva, McStay had interviews with the Minister for Education, the Hon Jone
Naisara and the Hon Sakeasi Waqanavavalagi, Minister for Urban Renewal and Social Services.
At the second interview, McStay heard how the Hon Waqanavavalagi had been on a preaching
tour in Australia sometime previously. Upon arriving at one town, he found that while planning for

26 There are discrepancies in where the first open air was held. Ken Dawson, David Major, Wilfred Arnold said
Lautoka; Gerald and Shirley Thorner said Ba. I have opted for Lautoka.
27 David Major, Tenth anniversary newsletter of the Fiji trek, (1 August 1982).
28 Courtesy of NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.
29 The war cry, (New Zealand, 4 November 1972), 4.

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his trip had fallen through, The Salvation Army band willingly turned out at short notice to support
his visit.

After briefly attending the opening of the day’s session of the parliament, McStay went to the
Fiji Broadcasting Service to record an interview about the Army and its background. As well, Enid
Weggery recorded interviews for women’s programmes for both the English and Hindi services and
Don Oliver recorded a song and an interview.

The first outdoor meeting was held at 6.30pm that night at Sukuna Park. The council erected a
dais with electricity in this park and the team just had to pay for the power. David Major led the
meeting which included a gospel puppet show, a small brass ensemble and a short message by Wilfred
Arnold.

At this first open-air meeting in Suva, proceedings were stopped by a ‘part-time’ police sergeant
in his formal uniform. He demanded to see the permit to conduct a public meeting. McStay said he
had not been told that a permit was needed, apologised and went on to explain that The Salvation
Army was not a military organisation but a branch of the Christian church. “Very well,” said the
security sergeant coolly. “You can proceed but I and my men will be watching you.” This put a
damper on the proceedings and McStay modified the usual open-air preaching somewhat, simply
choosing to present the power of the risen Lord to transform and redeem all people. After all, this
was what The Salvation Army was all about.30

Many of the crowd followed the team back to the Wesley Methodist Church for an indoor
meeting at 7.30pm where the band attracted bystanders. About 100 people attended this meeting
which included vocal and spoken presentations and a screening of the film Salute to a salvation
centenary. Committee member Rev Joe Samy from Child Evangelism Fellowship operated the movie
projector and Mr Maika Bovoro of the Fiji Bible Society set up a literature stall in the church foyer.
Previously on a visit to New Zealand, he had attended a performance of the Gowans and Larsson
musical Hosea and had been very impressed by its impact on the audience.31

The team had the morning free on Saturday 19 August, before heading to the Naboro Prison
Farm where they presented two programmes for the inmates plus puppet shows for 100 children. The
first prison meeting was attended by about 90 medium security men who sat on the concrete floor for
the performance. Shirley Thorner remembers being moved by the men at the prison singing Isa Lei.32
At the end of this meeting, one man stood and thanked the team for coming saying “Thank you for
reminding us that Christ can really help us to be new men again.” Following afternoon tea, a second
meeting was held for over 100 minimum security prisoners.

The evening activities consisted of an outdoor meeting at Sukuna Park attended by about 90
people, an indoor meeting at the Wesley Methodist Church which was poorly attended until the band
started playing and a ‘floor show’ at the Golden Dragon Cabaret which was given a good reception.
War crys, All the world magazines and Jesus papers were distributed at this venue. Wilfred Arnold
led and Shirley Smith gave the message at the open air meeting earlier in the evening.33

30 Letter, McStay to Sampson, (1 January 2020). The security sergeant was Sami Seeto, of Fijian-Chinese descent and a
complete unbeliever. He lived with his wife Biu and their daughters in the Bangasau slum area where he was chairperson
of a committee looking after the community hall at the base of the high-rise rooms. Brian met him a year later when he
was now appointed to Fiji and was negotiating for The Salvation Army to use that hall on Sunday mornings. Sami and
Biu were among the first six converts enrolled as senior soldiers by the territorial commander when he visited Fiji during
the first year of the work. Sami also was the first corps sergeant-major for the Suva Corps.
31 The war cry, (New Zealand, 19 August 1972), 9.
32 Thorner, “Trek memories.”
33 The war cry, (New Zealand, 2 December 1972), 7.

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Fiji trek team at Suva’s Golden Dragon night club34
L-R: Paul Bennetts, Unknown, Patricia Richardson, Ken Dawson, Anne Aitken, Gerald Thorner (in

front), Don Oliver, Don Jackson.

On the morning of Sunday 20 August, the team split into several groups and led or took part in
services at Raiwaqa and Suva Gospel Chapels, Nabua Methodist Church, Wesley Methodist Church
and St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. In the afternoon, Edwin Whiteside and Wilfred Arnold led the
meeting at the Nasinu Approved Home for Boys. Then it was back to the Wesley Methodist Church
which was packed for the evening meeting with children sitting on floor mats and many people
standing outside. Attending the meeting were holidaying Salvationists from Blenheim and Sydney
and the Pukekohe High School orchestra.

The meeting was run like a Salvation Army salvation meeting with choruses, the band, free
prayer, a choir singing Crown Him with many crowns from The musical Salvationist and a “straight
gospel message”. There was one seeker.35

The morning of Monday 21 August was spent gaining some insight into the poverty
experienced by squatters in Nasinu. The team saw the work of the Red Cross, the Fiji Council of
Churches and an organisation called HART (Housing and Rehabilitation Trust), led by Irishman
Father Hurley. Shirley and Gerald Thorner also recall attending a large funeral for a well-known
Fijian Indian Christian leader on that morning.36 The first of several Raiwaqa meetings was held in
the evening. Over 500 people crowded around the puppet theatre at the open-air meeting and the
booked hall proved totally inadequate for the indoor meeting which was moved outside.37

Team members also worked on individual projects throughout the week. Wilfred Arnold was
involved with HART while Edwin Whiteside investigated medical needs in Suva. This included

34 Courtesy of NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.
35 The war cry, (New Zealand, 2 December 1972), 7.
36 Phone interview, Gerald & Shirley Thorner to Kingsley Sampson, (18 April 2020).
37 The war cry, (New Zealand, 2 December 1972), 7.

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visiting a medical clinic in Suva run by a European doctor who simply charged people whatever they
could afford.38

A Fijian village visit by members of the trek39
L-R: Fijian mother and child, Ken Dawson, Anne Aitken, Paul Bennetts, Marie Janes.
A warm welcome was given to Brian McStay and Gerald Thorner on Tuesday 22 August, to
the morning chapel service at the Pacific Theological College, after which they visited the Methodist
Seminary at Nasouri.
Later that morning McStay and Thorner, together with Jackson attended a rehearsal with the
Royal Fiji Military Band, Oliver and Thorner joined in the practice. Bandmaster Bert Neeve of
Wellington City Corps had been instrumental in the formation of this band when he had been
stationed in Fiji during the Second World War and Kini Cava, one of his former pupils, was now the
bandmaster. Bert Neeve had sent over two autographed copies of the latest Wellington City Band
records and McStay presented these to the band on behalf of Neeve.
While Brian McStay and Thorner were busy at the colleges and with the band, Beverly McStay
spent time with Red Cross teams and other team members either had free time or worked on individual
projects.
The evening activities took place at Raiwaqa Methodist Primary School. A crowd of at least
1000 was present for the outdoor meeting which featured gospel puppets, a film and a message by
David Major. Over 100 people made decisions, many of them senior primary and high school
students.40 Ten years later, Major recalled this meeting and directing the large group of seekers from
his ‘platform’ under the flagpole.41

38 Phone interview, David Major to Kingsley Sampson, (20 May 2020).
39 Courtesy of NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.
40 The war cry, (New Zealand, 9 December 1972), 5.
41 Major, Tenth anniversary newsletter.

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Wednesday 23 August saw the team divide into two groups, one to go to Sigatoka and the other
to remain in Suva. A team of six drove to Sigatoka where they were hosted by Rev Mahish Giri who
led a Hindi-speaking Methodist fellowship and who had written to territorial headquarters after some
New Zealand Salvationists had holidayed nearby the previous year.42 The Sigatoka team conducted
an evening service using films, puppets, singing and a gospel message. About 500 people attended,
many of whom were non-Christian.

In Suva, the remaining trek members visited six schools. Under the leadership of Ken Dawson,
they sang and spoke at Dudley High School, Gospel High School, Assemblies of God High School,
Ballantine Memorial Methodist School, Delainavesi Primary School and Lami Fijian School.
Hundreds of people were present at every place.43

Action song at a school.44
L-R: Enid Weggery, Anne Aitken, Wilfred Arnold, Marie Janes, Ken Dawson, Gerald Thorner,

Shirley Smith, on piano accordion (obscured) Lyndon Weggery, David Major.
In the evening, the Suva team conducted another outdoor meeting at Raiwaqa, an estimated
crowd of around 1200 people attended and 50 seekers came to receive Christ at the close of the
meeting. Such were the crowds at this Methodist primary school that the school gardens were
trampled after each meeting. The team offered to restore the damaged gardens, but the headmaster
declined their offer. He was thrilled to see this Christian gathering, commenting “People are what
really matter.”45
The next day, Thursday 24 August, the Sigatoka team took religious instruction in a local school
before driving back to Suva. The Suva team spent the morning visiting schools in Nasouri and had
lunch at Dilkusha Children’s Home. The Suva team held an open-air meeting in the main street with
hundreds standing to hear the message. Later in the afternoon, David Major and Edwin Whiteside
conducted a children’s joy hour in the Nasouri Theatre. In the evening there were several decisions
in the meeting held in the local Methodist Church.

42 Letter, McStay to Sampson, (1 January 2020).
43 The war cry, (New Zealand, 9 December 1972), 16.
44 Courtesy of NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.
45 The war cry, (New Zealand, 9 December 1972), 6.

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On the afternoon of Friday 25 August, the whole team visited the University of The South
Pacific where they conducted a seminar in conjunction with the Student Christian Movement.
Afterwards they spent time with Rev Joe Samy and his wife before proceeding to the evening’s
activities.

Unfortunately, heavy rain caused the abandonment of the outdoor meeting at Sukuna Park and
initially only two people turned up for the indoor meeting at the Methodist Church. To remedy this,
a public address system was rigged up on a car and driven around the town calling people to the
meeting, while other team members walked around the streets inviting people they met. Eventually
about 80 people came to the meeting, of whom three made decisions for Christ. These returned on
Saturday morning for follow-up counselling with Shirley Smith.46

The team were free on the morning of Saturday 26 August and had time to look around Suva
or attend to other activities. Among other things, the band instruments were packed and freighted to
Nadi in preparation for Sunday’s return to New Zealand. In the afternoon, the team attended the
Hibiscus Festival at Albert Park.47

Sunday 27 August was the final day in Fiji. The team took part in the morning service at
Tamavua Methodist Church service where Rev Josateki Koroi was the minister in charge. In the
afternoon, the team bade farewell to Don and Heather Jackson and drove via the Queen’s Road from
Suva for Nadi. The team stopped for tea at a hotel on the way and heard a Mormon choir entertaining
the guests.48 One car was very much the worse for wear by the time they reached Nadi. Fortunately,
there was time for a quick shower before boarding the 7.45pm Air New Zealand Nadi to Auckland
flight, flying back home and returning to the more normal routines of life in New Zealand.49

One day close to the end of the trek, some trek members visited a brothel in Toorak late one
afternoon. The visit was arranged by a Methodist minister who was trying to help women who had
been forced into prostitution due to their economic circumstances. The matter-of-fact way in which
the brothel was run was an eye-opener to those who went there.50

As an example of team members using their various gifts and skills for the benefit of the trek,
Gerald Thorner was an amateur (HAM) radio operator. On two occasions, he was able to relay
messages back to The Salvation Army in Wellington via Major John Major, a fellow HAM operator
in Wellington. This kept territorial headquarters staff up-to-date with how the trek was going and
enabled The war cry to print this somewhat belated news flash.

News from the Fiji trek team in The war cry51

46 The war cry, (New Zealand, 20 January 1973), 6.
47 The war cry, (New Zealand, 20 January 1973), 6.
48 Phone interview, Thorner to Sampson (18 April 2020).
49 The war cry, (New Zealand, 20 January 1973), 7.
50 Phone interview, Major to Simpson, (20 May 2020). Ten years later, the Suva Central Corps was based in its own
property at the other end of that street. Major, Tenth anniversary newsletter, 2.
51 The war cry, (New Zealand, 9 September 1972), 11.

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Reflection

In preparing a summary of the trek for The Salvation Army Archives, Cyril Bradwell wrote that the
team was received warmly and “exploratory discussions were held with government and civic leaders
and heads of church groups. Meetings were held in schools, prisons, churches, night clubs and in the
open air [and that] the eager participation of all concerned brought great results.”52

In the ten days spent in Fiji, around 6000 people attended the meetings and nearly 200 decisions
for Christ were recorded.53 These were followed up with letters and literature from New Zealand and
referrals to local churches. Information gathered highlighted the following issues worthy of further
consideration: support for primary and secondary schools, short-term vocational training schemes,
the growing social problems in Suva and support for Pacific people, especially mothers and children
now resident in New Zealand.54

In writing recently about the trek, McStay wrote, “Outreach took a similar form to a previous
student trek to Nelson held in the 1960s – music, puppets and church services. These were held mostly
around Suva. The team visited various Suva churches and caused a stir at a local ‘nightclub’. Many
people attended not only all the meetings but many got saved.”55

In reflecting on the musical side of the trek, Don Oliver observed that “[o]ur bright happy music
done enthusiastically always seemed to communicate in whatever setting we found ourselves. [It was]
a great way to get attention outside or inside [and] set the scene for the spoken word.”56 Paul and Jill
Bennetts wrote that the puppet theatre proved to be “incredibly popular” and “crowds of children
would appear as it was being erected.”57

A trip like this highlighted for team members economic and cultural differences between New
Zealand and Fiji. For example, when visiting villages in Fiji, Paul and Jill Bennetts were struck first
by how little people had when compared to life in New Zealand and second, that their prize
possessions were their children who they would proudly bring out to show the visitors.58

Another thing the trek highlighted was the value of miscellaneous and unconnected contacts
that Fijian people had with The Salvation Army before the trek arrived in Fiji.

• Rev Giri’s contact with Majors John and Lola Bailey of Temuka and other Salvationists when they
were holidaying in Sigatoka in 1971.

• The assistance given to Sakeasi Waqanavavalagi by an unnamed Salvation Army band in Australia.
• The Nadi airport porter who had seen a Salvation Army open air meeting in Sydney.
• The Fiji Bible Society secretary who had been impressed by the impact on the audience of a Wellington

performance of the Gowans and Larsson musical Hosea.

Shirley Thorner also remembered the co-operation with other churches during the trek. This
was in contrast with what she had experienced in cadets’ campaigns which were more Salvation Army
centred.59

52 Report by Cyril Bradwell, NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives: FIJ 002.040.
53 The war cry, (New Zealand, 20 January 1973), 7.
54 The war cry, (New Zealand, 20 January 1973), 6 – 7.
55 Letter, McStay to Sampson, (1 January 2020).
56 Email, Don Oliver to Kingsley Sampson, (30 June 2020).
57 Email, P & J Bennetts to K. Sampson, (29 June 2020).
58 Email, Bennetts to Sampson, (29 June 2020).
59 Phone interview, Thorner to Sampson, (18 April 2020).

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Something else Shirley Thorner and also David Major60 noted was the freedom to amend the
programme as needed. The team took opportunities as they arose and adapted their pre-planned
programme whenever necessary.
After the trek
A cyclone struck Fiji in October, not long after the Salvationists had returned to New Zealand.
Because Fiji was fresh in Salvationists minds, money was raised for relief and initially channelled
through the Red Cross and CORSO.61

Later in 1972, International Headquarters gave permission for the New Zealand Salvation Army
to ‘open fire’ in Fiji and Brian and Beverly McStay together with their children, Darlene (11) and
John (7) were appointed to commence the work there. The McStays moved to Fiji early in 1973 and
it took some weeks to get operations underway. But finally on Sunday 29 April 1973 the first official
Salvation Army meeting in Fiji was held.62 Five months later in September 1973, the territorial
commander Commissioner Ernest Elliot enrolled eight soldiers and accepted a local couple as cadet-
lieutenants due to prior Bible college studies and ministry experience. Two years later a contingent
from Fiji attended the 1975 ‘Come Alive in Christ’ congress in Wellington. They included the newly
formed Suva Corps Band of 16 players.

The Salvation Army Fijian band
Fiji contingent at 1975 Wellington Congress63

60 Phone interview, Major to Sampson, (20 May 2020).
61 Letter, B. McStay to D. & H. Jackson, (16 November 1972), NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives: FIJ 002.040.
62 Brian McStay, “The Fiji Story”, 18-20, in Anon ed., Salvation Army Year Book, 1975, (London: International
Headquarters, 1975), 19.
63 The war cry, (New Zealand, 24 May 1975), 13.

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Ten years after the trek, 1982, trek member David Major and his wife Carol were the Fiji
regional leaders. Major sent a ten-year anniversary newsletter to all participants reminding them of
that eventful visit and informing them of subsequent developments. The next year, 1983, when the
tenth anniversary of the official commencement was celebrated, there were four corps in Fiji; Raiwai,
Suva Central, Lomaivuna and Lautoka.

Jumping ahead to 2020, The Salvation Army in Fiji is a division in its own right, with almost
40 active Fijian officers, 15 corps, five outposts or corps plants and a School for Officer Training.
Social programmes include three family care centres, three kindergartens, two sewing programmes,
a Red Shield House for young men, a court and prison ministry and airport chaplains. In 2019, a
delegation of over 70 Fijian Salvationists including the Fiji Regional Band attended the territorial
congress in Wellington, together with delegations from Tonga and Samoa, further Pacific countries
where the Army opened fire in 1986 and 2018 respectively.

A section of the Fiji Regional Band at Encounter Congress, Wellington, October 201964
In writing to the team on 13 July 1972, approximately one month before departure, McStay
mused: “I [Brian] have no idea … what will come of it all. If [The Salvation Army is] not needed,
then ‘I will be happy’ with the trek. If [there is] any indication that [The Salvation Army] is needed,
then we shall do what is asked of us if at all possible.”65
From what has transpired in Fiji since then, one could rightly declare that this ‘spying out of
the land’ was a success and that The Salvation Army was indeed needed.

64 The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory, “Suva Central Band,” Facebook, (4 October
2019),
https://www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyNZFTS/photos/a.2578342942222296/2578344495555474/?type=3&theater
accessed 18 April 2020
65 McStay, “Briefing papers.”

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GRAHAM MILLAR:
ECUMENICAL SALVATIONIST AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST

Harold Hill

Every so often one encounters a Salvationist who is so involved in ecumenical and wider activities
in society that they become almost as widely known outside The Salvation Army as within it. Major
Gerben Stelstra would be one such person in Australia and Majors Peter Thorp and Campbell
Roberts in their respective fields in New Zealand.1 Another in the New Zealand territory is Graham
Millar. For example, at the Army’s “Just Action” conference held in Wellington in October 2019,
two of the invited speakers independently referred to Graham’s work and influence, one being the
retired Anglican Archbishop, Sir David Moxon, and the other, representing the President of the
Methodist Church on that occasion, was Peter Glensor, past chairman of the Hutt Valley District
Health Board amongst other roles. Most Salvationists, however, would have little idea of the extent
of Graham’s activities on behalf both of the Army and of the wider church. This article, derived
from notes made by Graham at my request and from conversations with him, as well as from
correspondence with others, seeks to place that service on record.

As an officers’ child, Graham had the usual peripatetic OK’s upbringing, but an ecumenical
link was that his father, Lt. Colonel Len Millar, spent eleven years as the Army’s representative on
the National Council of Churches (NCC) executive, and chaired it for some years, while his mother
served on the NCC women’s committee and his elder sister Gwen was on the youth committee. On
leaving school, Graham worked in a bank before taking his Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English and
Geography at Victoria University of Wellington, then trained as a teacher in Christchurch, where he
married Enid Daniels of Sydenham Corps in January 1960. After a year of teaching in Palmerston
North, he taught at Oxford District High School in 1961 – 1963, serving as Senior Secondary
Assistant for most of that time, was involved in a local drama group, led the band at the local Corps
– and preached on occasion at the Baptist church.

In 1964, Graham and Enid were cadets at the Salvation Army Training College in Wellington,
during which time he also took three papers towards the Melbourne College of Divinity Licentiate
of Theology. Sent out as Cadet-Lieutenants, they served in 1965 – 1966 as Corps Officers at
Richmond. As part of an active Minister’s Association there, they were involved in a door-to-door
survey of the town and Graham co-led led a joint training session for lay leaders using World

Reference citation of this paper; Harold Hill, “Graham Millar: Ecumenical Salvationist and social activist”, The
Australasian journal of Salvation Army history, 5, 2, 2020, 111 – 122.
1 Major Peter Thorp (1947 – 2007) spent much of his service in corps roles and as a Court Officer, but his final
appointment, as External Relations Secretary, was tailor-made. Amongst his many roles, he was President of the
National Library Association, chaired the first New Zealand Inter-Faith Conference in 2003, was Convenor of the
Combined Churches Agency on International Affairs, President of the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Institute
for International Affairs, Secretary of the Council of Wellington Churches, and Secretary of both the Wellington and the
New Zealand Association of Christians and Jews. Inclined to eccentricity, he once left a surprised cadet to take over a
Sunday meeting in the song before the sermon as he had to keep an appointment with the Papal Nuncio. He walked the
length of Wellington’s Lambton Quay daily to “show the uniform”. The Governor General spoke at his funeral and the
Mayor of Wellington unveiled a plaque to his memory on a park bench.

Major Campbell Roberts OF CNZM has played a significant part in public affairs in relation to social policy and
housing policy, on which he has been a go-to person for governments of all political persuasion for many years. His
appointments have included corps and community service work, youth work and secondment to industrial chaplaincy,
Social Services Secretary and Divisional Commander. He was the founder and long-term first Director of The Salvation
Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit, and a member of the Army’s Territorial Coordination Council, and of its
national and International Moral and Social Issues Councils.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 111

The Millar family, 1972
Taken in Rhodesia when the family were about to return to New Zealand2

2 Photograph courtesy of the Millar family.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 112

Council of Churches material. Encouraged by articles in The officer and by one or two other
officers’ experience, Graham initiated Industrial Chaplaincy at the local Freezing Works, to attend
Fire Brigade call-outs and participated in inter-church events such as a visit by Ronald Goldman,
specialist in children’s religious thinking. A further ecumenical experience was being sent, along
with Cadet-Lieutenant Graeme Smith, to a five-day conference for theological students, arranged at
Marton by the NCC in 1965.

A long-standing commitment to overseas service saw the Millars and their three sons, soon to
be four, off to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1967, where Graham was firstly Vice-Principal of the
Mazowe3 Secondary School and later, in 1971, Headmaster of Howard Secondary School. In
Rhodesia Graham’s major external role was with the Salvation Army Students’ Fellowship (SASF),
a very strong organisation drawing especially on teachers who had been trained at the Army’s
Howard Teachers’ College. His two years as Secretary of the SASF involved organising two annual
conferences. For meetings in connection with a visit by General Erik Wickberg he was asked to
organise an SASF choir, and this was said to have been the first multi-racial Salvation Army choir
in the country. Discovering that ex-Mazowe students tended to be left without follow-up pastoral
care and fell away from the Army, Graham started a Mazowe Ex-Students’ Association as well.

In 1972 the Millar family (now with four sons) returned to New Zealand, from sunny
Rhodesia to the Invercargill winter, to be corps officers there. Graham soon established some
ecumenical links, beginning with attendance at a 14-week Clinical Pastoral Education training
course at Kew Hospital (which involved 15 hours course work per week, not counting set reading,
in addition to his corps duties). This led to his first experience of Clinical Supervision, provided by
the course instructor, the Rev Don Shaw. This was a turning point which led thirty years later,
largely through Graham’s advocacy, to the eventual provision of pastoral supervision for Salvation
Army officers. While in Invercargill he also attended (with Lieutenant Campbell Roberts) a one-
week Inter-church Trade and Industry Mission (ITIM) training course in Dunedin and was
thereafter engaged in ITIM advocacy work in Southland. The Cameron Centre from Dunedin
provided some extension pastoral courses in Invercargill, which he found useful – and was able to
use this material in courses for the Salvation Army in various places thereafter. Graham also served
on the Board of the Southland Marriage Guidance Council and was a member of the Invercargill
Middle School school-committee.

For 1975 – 1978, the Millars found themselves appointed back to the Aro Street Officer
Training College in Wellington, where Graham served as Senior Training Officer under Major Tom
Cross, the Principal. Before the intake of cadets arrived, Graham became a member of a group
which led in 1978 to the establishment of the Urban Training Centre for Christian Ministry. This
was formed under the auspices of Inner-City Ministries (now Down-town Community Ministries, or
DCM). It was initiated by the Rev Godfrey Wilson, vicar of St Peter’s (and later Assistant-Bishop
of Auckland), and led by Bruce Gilberd, later Bishop of Auckland. Graham also served on the ITIM
Education Committee.

By the end of 1975 Graham’s work-load had extended to marking Post-Commissioning
Studies in place of Captain Laurence Hay who had been appointed overseas, and from 1976 – 1978,
he continued to teach at the Training College as well as becoming Education Secretary at Territorial
Headquarters. During this time, he connected with other churches over post-ordination training and
continuing education for both lay and ordained persons, and put up to the Army’s leadership a paper
about the need for adult education in The Salvation Army. He made a request to attend a one-

3 Then called “Mazoe”, but now to better reflect Shona pronunciation is spelt “Mazowe”.

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afternoon per week paper on Tertiary Teaching at Victoria University, but this was declined. After
that, he determined not to ask permission before taking such opportunities. He subsequently worked
piecemeal for a number of years on the Victoria University Diploma of Educational Studies,
eventually gaining his Bachelor of Education (BEd).

During the David Lange administrative years adult education was well-funded and supported
by government.4 Graham joined the New Zealand Association for Continuing and Community
Education (NZACCE) and had some involvement at executive committee level helping produce
new policy and strategy, organising the annual conference at one stage. Advocating for the
churches, he was invited by the Ministry of Education to represent the field in a group, to interview
applicants for the position of National Advisor. In later years he also helped the NZACCE executive
to work through bi-cultural issues. As Salvation Army Education Secretary Graham began
developing the program which eventually came to fruition in the Centre for Leadership
Development at Booth College of Mission. He developed officer refresher courses, some distance
learning courses, wrote guides for small group creative Bible study (some of which were published
in The war cry), held residential (at Temuka and Hodderville) and city-based (Christchurch,
Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin) Bible schools. On the side, he was responsible for preparing
the Disposition of Forces, and for writing the Officer Personnel section of the Manual of reference
(superseded by today’s THQ Minutes). He continued to teach at the training college, being
Education Officer for 1978, during which the Millars also oversaw Wellington City Corps for three
months.

Transferred back to corps work, the Millars were stationed at Linwood, Christchurch, 1979 –
1981. Early in their time there, Graham was able to attend Structural Analysis Training one night a
week. Then, with the local Ministers’ Association, he: 1. opened Linwood Open House (a drop-in
centre) and trained volunteers for this; 2. developed a joint work-skills scheme; 3. held community
liaison meetings, conducted social need surveys; 4. ran Linwood Fair and Fun Day in Linwood
Avenue Park for the whole community in 1980 – 1981; and 5. Linwood community carol service in
Intermediate School hall with local radio DJ leading. Graham notes that these five initiatives were
community development at a more intense level than he experienced later as a Community
Development Officer with the Wellington City Council.

While at Linwood Graham was also a member of the Canterbury ITIM Board and Enid did
chaplaincy for the cleaners at Burwood Hospital. Graham was also a board member of Christian
World Service for three years, which involved such tasks as writing advent resources for churches,
introducing an essay contest for university students on development topics (and marking these
once), attending and leading structural analysis workshops, and facilitating events. He was also a
member of a Low Incomes Working Party and participated in events challenging the 1981
Springbok Tour.5

At corps level Graham endeavoured to involve other Salvationists in groups, such as refugee
resettlement, the emergency canteen, open house workers, plus prayer, musical, and study groups.
Morning congregations in 1981 averaged 240 and evenings 120. He did a series on Old Testament
book outlines, summarised in wall posters. He tried to use the creativity of members, as in an art
display of Clive Luscombe’s work, and a harvest festival afternoon where people showed their

4 David Lange was Prime Minister of New Zealand 1984 – 1989.
5 The Divisional Commander, Major Melvin Taylor, later told him, “You realise that officers were forbidden to be
involved in that protest?” “No,” said Graham, “I didn’t know that.” “Well,” said the DC, “the difficulty was that the
THQ Memo was marked ‘Confidential’, so I didn’t feel free to share it.”

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skills such as pottery, vintage car restoration, and handcrafts. There were charts of involvement in
meetings by musicians and soloists, Junior Soldiers, Corps Cadets and so on.

For the four years 1982 – 1986, it was back to Wellington for the Millars, with Graham’s
secondment as General Secretary of the Churches Education Commission (CEC). They had asked
for leave of absence and were offered this position instead – and later learned that retired
Commissioner Ernest Elliot, then chairing the Commission, had asked the Army for Graham’s
secondment to the role. The CEC widened Graham’s involvement in the ecumenical scene
considerably. It was well supported by the churches, and its mandate was two-fold: not only
religious education in state schools but the churches’ input and influence in general education as
well.

On a personal level, he shared the CEC office with Denis Povey, secretary of the Negotiating
Churches Unity Council (which became the Uniting Congregations of Aotearoa New Zealand or
UCANZ),6 and with Peter Glensor, then the Wellington and Youth staff person for the National
Council of Churches. Peter and Graham shared a secretary and Enid later became administrative
secretary for Denis. All were involved in the planning by the NCC and the Roman Catholic Church
towards the formation of the Conference of Churches of Aotearoa New Zealand (CCANZ). When
the CCANZ held its inaugural forum in Rotorua, Graham was invited to help with justice issues,
and when it was wound up in 2005 Graham was there to help facilitate – the only person to have
attended both opening and closing events.

The return to Wellington also renewed Graham’s association with the Urban Training Centre,
for which he became a board member and later Chair. He also became a board member of the Inter-
Church Commission on Immigration and Refugee Resettlement (ICCI) arising out of his
involvement with Christian World Service. Most of these ecumenical activities were not directly
representing The Salvation Army but by personal invitation. Education for Ministry (EFM) was
another such involvement because he had been researching adult education courses available and
found EFM to be the best. This was supplied to New Zealand through the Anglican Church from
the Australian Anglican Religious Education Board. To make it ecumenical in scope the CEC was
asked to oversee it and a training and development section was formed. The originators of the
course, the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, wanted direct contact so a New Zealand
EFM board was formed, with the chair of CEC and the Anglican Bishop of Waikato as presidents
and Graham as its first chair. Later he served as a group mentor and then as a trainer of mentors,
going to Sewannee for a trainers’ week. The New Zealand network also held an exciting annual
training week.

After the inaugural forum of the Conference of Churches of Aotearoa New Zealand, Graham
was asked to start and co-convene (with Dominican Sister Mary Concannon) Unit 3 which was
about Evangelism, Mission and Unity.7 They worked well together and he frequently represented
the group at CCANZ executive meetings and at some Annual Forums. On one occasion he was
actually invited by The Salvation Army to be one of its forum delegates! When the CCANZ was
choosing staff, Graham applied for a position, as he and Enid had already indicated their intention
to resign as officers at the end of 1987. In the event he stepped back as one of the existing NCC

6 Uniting Congregations comprise (varying according to locality) members of the Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican,
Congregational and Christian (formerly the Associated Churches of Christ) Churches.
7 As the name implies, the CCANZ majored on “conference” events, indicative of its commitment to “flatter
structures”, but its functions were divided amongst four “Units” with specific briefs. Its structure was complicated by
the fact that there were three offices in different cities, with three administrative secretaries who did not invariably work
well together!

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staff needed the job as the sole supporter of her family. Graham felt that the failure of the mainline
churches to push for appropriate staff appointments was however one of the factors leading
eventually to the demise of the CCANZ.8

Unit 3 had a brief that included chaplaincies, inter-religious dialogue, faith and order
questions, and so on. One of the occasions that stood out was a chaplaincy conference which
included most forms of chaplaincy except industrial. A different type of faith and order conference
was held at Akatarawa in midwinter and entitled Taking Root. It was intended to bring together
groups who were doing interesting forms of church at the grassroots. A major challenge from
women to men, “We do theology collectively, do you?” subverted the process for a day.

When the Muslim centre in Newtown was graffitied because of the Salman Rushdie fatwa,
Unit 3 decided to arrange a supportive dialogue with some Muslim leaders. After careful planning,
six CCANZ representatives, including Graham, met with six Muslim people in a neutral venue.
This was worthwhile and was repeated once. The following year, during the week of prayer for
World Peace, a three-faith gathering was held in the foyer of the Michael Fowler Centre. Children’s
choirs from the Jewish school, St Mark’s Anglican school, and the Muslim community, each sang,
then all joined in a circle, with adults on the outside, and sang, “It’s a small world after all.”
Relevant extracts from the three sacred books were also read, and the Mayor, Jim Belich, spoke.
One of the Muslim women, crying, said that if this were in the Middle East they would be teaching
their children to kill each other.

Another interest was the Programme on Racism (POR). Before Graham started the CEC job
in late January 1982, he was invited to an early January hui9 at the Presbyterian marae at Ohope.10
This was sponsored by NCC and the Christian Conference of Asia. Hone Kaa and Jim Veitch were
the co-facilitators, although Hone really ran the agenda. Graham had thought it was to be about a
New Zealand theology, but it was a great place to start talking about Te Tiriti.11 Many leaders were
there as well as people like Claudia Orange who had yet to publish her significant book on the
Treaty. It was Graham’s first experience of living on a marae, and quite exciting, frightening, and
deep. After that he attended POR courses for Christian educators and tried to challenge the CEC
with some of the issues. The regular publications from POR were useful and he later became part of
the Network Waitangi trainers’ group. In 1983, Graham’s second year at the CEC, he did a six-
week Maori language course at the kuratini (polytech) but kept his job going in evenings, so didn’t
get much homework done. This was a good experience, with a “noho marae” (a stay-over at the
marae) at Waiwhetu, at which he met Parihaka people for the first time.12 He also continued
studying with Education papers during these years.

There was also a Social Justice trainers’ network, to encourage which the Ecumenical
Secretariat on Development employed a staff person. Because he had been part of Structural
Analysis training in Christchurch, Graham continued to use these techniques with groups and
became part of a national network which held a few residential gatherings at Stella Maris (a retreat

8 For an analysis of this demise, see Peter Lineham, “Why the Conference of Churches in Aotearoa New Zealand
Failed: The birth, life and death of an ecumenical experiment in New Zealand”, in Allan Davidson and Peter Lineham
(eds), When the Road Runs Out . . . Research essays on the ecumenical journey (Christchurch: CCANZ, 2005), 33 – 73.
9 “Hui”, a gathering, or assembly.
10 A “marae” is the open space in front of a Maori meeting house (a “wharenui”), used as a social or ceremonial forum.
11 “Te Tiriti”: The Treaty of Waitangi, 1840, the basis of New Zealand’s bi-racial partnership.
12 “Parihaka” is a Maori community in Taranaki which was illegally invaded by government troops in 1881 and its
pacifist prophet Te Whiti (a source of inspiration to Mahatma Ghandi himself) imprisoned along with his followers.
These seminal events in New Zealand’s bi-cultural history and the ensuing injustices were ignored until recent years.

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centre in Wellington). This was stimulating, and helpful for looking at issues like the spirituality
which would sustain activism, and further theological and practical issues and methods.

Graham was invited to attend an Asian ecumenical leadership conference arranged by the
Christian Conference of Asia in late 1982. This was on the theme of a theological basis for
education and was attended by people from many Asian countries and churches. It was held at
YMCA in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He spent much of the time in his room suffering from dysentery,
and on oral rehydration salts and antibiotics. As a result, he lost weight to less than 10 stone, and
though he attended most of the sessions, he did not manage some of the outings. There were three
New Zealand delegates, Graham and two women, one of whom was Maori. They often met with the
two Australians present. Despite illness, it was a very rich time. Graham presented a paper on New
Zealand education which incorporated his own analysis of the rationing system which meant poorer
people were made to accept that they could only do the lower paid jobs.

In September 1983 Graham had his first experience of a seven-day directed retreat at the
Pastoral Centre, a Roman Catholic foundation in Palmerston North. This really helped him move
into contemplative spirituality and later into Spiritual Direction training, and membership of the
Spiritual Growth Ministries national workgroup in the 1990s. This body, initially part of the
Mission Resource Team of the Presbyterian Church, later became an independent, non-
denominational trust. Graham encouraged The Salvation Army to offer, and Salvationists to attend,
retreats and ran some himself. He also tried to develop ecumenical supervision networks for clergy
and promoted professional supervision within the Army. As a result of these efforts, both Spiritual
Direction and Supervision have been written into The Salvation Army’s official Minutes and
hopefully become embedded in the Army’s culture in New Zealand, a number of officers having
undertaken training in these areas.

A secular commitment at this time was to be on the Africa Projects committee for the New
Zealand Council for Relief Services Overseas (CORSO). Graham’s involvement with adult and
community education was also very regular during this time and later. He recalls being one of the
key organisers for an annual NZACCE conference held in Wellington at Victoria University
between the student union building and the university marae.

During the CEC job, Graham’s contact with other member churches was considerable, from
Open Brethren, through Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist and others. This included
speaking at several annual church gatherings such as Assemblies (Baptist and Presbyterian),
Conferences (Methodist and Congregational) and Synods (Anglican). About half of the job was
concerned with Religious Instruction in primary schools. This involved travelling to regional
meetings, running training events, and negotiating with the Joint Board of Christian Education of
Australia and New Zealand, who produced the approved curriculum. Graham found the Joint Board
to be a great organisation, he attended Board meetings annually, as well as their training for
Christian education specialists. Good relationships with some of the key New Zealand people in the
major churches were formed. Four of these were on his executive committee.

The CEC was concerned with all the issues around education which affected churches. This
included addressing the New Zealand Education Department, which had two different observers on
the Commission, both of whom became major leaders in the Department before and after the
“Tomorrow’s Schools” reforms.13 The place of religion in education was a major concern. Graham
tried several ways to address this. One of these was to obtain a Churchill Fellowship grant in
January 1985 to look at the study of religion in Australian schools. His report and subsequent

13 “Tomorrow’s Schools”: significant changes in the New Zealand educational system, introduced in 1989.

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efforts to incorporate this into New Zealand schools was hijacked by the Tomorrow’s Schools
reforms. There was some involvement with church schools, and with Christian education within
churches throughout the life cycle.

Continuing education for lay and clergy was a particular interest, and also theological and
ministry formation. This included involvement in an ecumenical group (primarily Anglican) writing
a lay theological syllabus. In particular, he remembers a week spent at Gate Pa church in Tauranga,
where David Moxon was the vicar. Bruce Gilberd, Colin Hopkirk (a Roman Catholic working for
the PCANZ), and others worked hard but with fun, on this project. It eventually looked to be a
wonderful lay substitute for full time theological training. It would have been possible to complete
the course in two lifetimes! A much edited version was later produced.

At one of the Christian education trainers’ gatherings Graham remembers Colin Hopkirk
introducing people to the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). He later attended a course by
Stephanie Kitching (a Catholic sister and first to be trained in this in Wellington). As so often when
Graham became interested in something he ended up teaching it. His MBTI Accreditation allowed
him to help over 2000 people discover their type and learn how to use it; over many years this
included annual sessions with cadets at The Salvation Army training college.

In 1986 – 1987 Graham was back at Territorial Headquarters as Assistant Social Services
Secretary. The Army had had difficulty finding an appropriate appointment for the Millars. The
CEC had a three-year trial period for their General Secretary, and the Army allowed this to be
extended for a year, while CEC wanted longer. In fact, Graham was happy to finish, especially with
RI in schools, and he enjoyed his time in Social Services. His role was mainly about pastoral care of
officers and training needs. However, he was also the deputy leader and enjoyed working with Lt.
Colonel Melvin Taylor, the Social Services Secretary. He became the Army’s representative on the
New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services and a variety of opportunities opened up from
this. Graham had been attending numerous training sessions for counselling, spiritual direction,
adult education and theology during this time and his counselling load was increasing but only with
those who asked. However, these were years in which both Graham and Enid struggled to make The
Salvation Army officer role work for them and the territorial commander of the time did not seem
particularly interested in retaining their services.

The Millars resigned and left officership in January 1988. Enid got a secretarial job straight
away, but it took Graham three months. Many places did not want a male ex-Salvation Army officer
50 years of age; for example, the Human Rights Commission, which wanted an educator. He fitted
the skills, but not the categories they imposed for the prevention of discrimination in their services.
In the interval, Graham facilitated two Development Education workshops, one for Council for
International Development and one for the Advisory Council on Overseas Aid and Development.
He also helped Major Campbell Roberts on the paper he was preparing for the Royal Commission
on Social Policy (1988); from submissions, he prepared the part on Maori Housing.

Finally, Graham managed to find a job with Wellington City Council Community
Development team. The manager had met him at an EFM mentor training event. She later said that
though his CV was fine, because of his Salvation Army officer background he would not have had
an interview if she hadn’t known him already.14 The Community Development team were great to
work with, almost all women with many strengths and a caring community. He worked half time in
the northern suburbs, where the Millars then lived, so that he could develop his counselling practice.

14 Because of The Salvation Army’s official and public opposition to homosexual law reform only a couple of years
earlier, Salvationists tended to be viewed with suspicion, especially by people in helping agencies.

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He became a member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors in 1995 and served on its
Ethics Committee for some years.

In his new City Council role Graham became a member of the Aotearoa Community Workers
Association, which held a great hui at Ratana Pa one year.15 He increased his skills in facilitation
through the Group Leadership Laboratories and other places. These were invaluable in his job, and
in private work with churches and other groups. He also offered many adult education courses
through Newlands College, Wellington High School, Rongotai College, the Workers’ Educational
Association, and on his own initiative. As a result, he developed his own agency called LEAD:
Liberating Education and Development, offering a variety of human development courses. He was
also asked by The Salvation Army to help with Continuing Education after Major Lance Rive, then
Education Secretary, was appointed to Fiji. This became a 10 – 15 hour a week Staff Training
Advisor role for a number of years, firstly with Major Richard Smith as Education Secretary and
from 1995 – 2000 with the writer. In 1989 he also began to work with the Presbyterian Church
Mission Resource Team, working 15 hours per week as director of Christian Education throughout
the lifecycle. The three jobs were flexible in that some weeks he would be doing more of one and
then the other. Keeping track of hours and mileage were a challenge, however, and his own private
work was also squeezed in. After nine months he decided he had to let go of some, and it was the
Presbyterian job that went.

Facilitation was a significant role for which Graham was often contracted. Archbishop David
Moxon notes that “He brings the experience of both Church-facing and world-facing expertise;
there are very few people in New Zealand with his level of expertise” in that work.16 One
interesting assignment was to facilitate a one-day vision planning for the Wellington Anglican
diocese in 1997 in connection with their annual synod; another was with Catholic educators.
Facilitation ranged from parish planning days to two two-day meetings of the CCANZ executive
and the heads/representatives of member churches. There had been some issues for member
churches, and an assessment was contracted. He facilitated discussion of this document. It was hard
work, but resulted in the CCANZ continuing, with some conditions on the way they operated and
consulted. There was surprise that they reached this consensus. Unfortunately, some of the member
church leaders felt that the CCANZ staff did not keep these conditions, and it gradually wound
down.

In connection with an attempt by some church leaders to renew various ecumenical
connections, Graham was invited to facilitate two meetings a year of church leaders who wanted to
work together on this, and he did this until the end of 2013. Nearly all churches participated in this
process although of the Pentecostal churches only the President of the Assemblies of God attended
and represented other Pentecostal denominations as he was currently chairing their association. On
a personal note, on joining this group as a Salvation Army representative in 2009, I learned that
Graham had previously worked with or acted as supervisor for many of the other church leaders and
delegates present! After nearly a decade spent, firstly, coming to an agreed statement of belief, and
secondly, in exploration of what is identified as “Receptive Ecumenism” this process led in 2016 to
the formation of a new body, the “National Dialogue for Christian Unity”, comprising only the
Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, and Uniting Churches, while the Presbyterian Church joined

15 Ratana Pa, headquarters of the Ratana Church, founded by the prophet and healer Wiremu Ratana around 1920.
Ratana also has a political wing, for some decades in partnership with the Labour movement but courted by all parties at
its annual celebrations.
16 Most Rev Sir David Moxon, letter of 25 May 2015 in author’s possession and quoted with permission.

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in 2018.17 The Salvation Army opted for associate membership (Observer Status) from the
inception.

Apart from church-related groups, Graham also facilitated for community groups such as the
Mental Health Consumers group, and the seniors centre. The Wellington Regional Council
contracted him to facilitate a staff and councillor workshop on sustainable development. In 1995 he
reduced his City Council hours to ten per week as his private work was increasing, and later that
year he finished at WCC after seven years, concentrating on private practice and Salvation Army
staff training. The latter involved on-going work with the current Education Secretary in planning
and delivering officer refresher courses and other training events, and taking part in various
working parties such as the one developing the official Minute on Supervision in 1999 – 2000. He
also contributed to planning towards the development of the Centre for Leadership Development,
associated with the officer training college, into which the Education Department morphed around
2000 under the joint leadership of Major Graeme McMurdo and the author.

During these years Graham explored other interests, such as men’s issues and movement, to
which a number of experiences led. The women in Network Waitangi for example challenged men
to work on anti-sexism, and the CCANZ “Faith and Order” conference called “Taking root”
included a challenging experience to men about working collaboratively. Graham also considered
that as the Continuing Education department at Victoria University of Wellington had started
women’s studies, which became a full department, they should provide courses for men to help
change. They asked him to develop this, and “Issues for men in NZ” ran as a four-session course.
Many then wanted to continue, so he planned another one called “Men working for change”. He did
not have energy for more, nor was he asked to, but a smaller group began meeting fortnightly for
five years. He determined to be a member, not the leader, and this worked well. It was a real growth
experience for them all, and a support for their attempts to make change in self and society. Other
men’s groups made contact and he participated in two Men’s Leadership gatherings at Tauhara
Centre in Taupo. He also helped organise some Wellington events.

Graham’s African experience led to on-going membership of the CORSO African projects
committee. He was also on the Churches Drought Action in Africa committee which was a
collective of relief agencies to raise money at that time. In 1989, he was asked to go to a conference
in Zimbabwe about the situation in Mozambique.

Two local church-related organisations in which Graham became active were the Frederic
Wallis House Trust and St Andrews Trust for the Study of Religion and Society. The St Andrews
Trust exists to provide learning opportunities at St Andrews on the Terrace, a Presbyterian church in
Wellington. It was originally set up to facilitate lectures for the general public by Lloyd Geering,
emeritus professor of Religious Studies at Victoria University. Graham attended many of these and
was invited to join the Trust Board. This was an interesting experience for several years.

Wallis House was a beautiful old house near Hutt Hospital, which was gifted by Margaret
Wallis in memory of her husband who had been Anglican Bishop of Wellington. Graham’s first
experiences there had been Salvation Army Students’ Fellowship conferences in 1960s. In the
1990s he was asked to be the facilitator of the Wallis House monthly staff meeting. This was a great
concept as the Christian community who ran the house could then talk about the issues which were
not safe to raise in their weekly meetings. He was also on the House Board for several years. The

17 Receptive ecumenism, a process arising especially from work of Cardinal Walter Kasper, and of Dr Paul Murray of
Durham University, is a reassessment of the ecumenical process in light of the remaining challenges and difficulties
faced by ecumenists. In other words, participants set out to share and support one another in their weaknesses rather
than to proclaim their strengths.

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house was eventually sold as it had become unviable. In 2008 Graham was invited by Bishop Tom
Brown to be on the Wallis Trust which distributed money earned by the investment of the House
capital. Archdeacon Judy Hardie and the author Joy Cowley were the other two trustees at that time.
In 2020 he is still on this Trust.

Since 2000 Graham has been a member of the Cenacle Ministry Team. The Cenacle is a
Catholic order for women which focuses on retreats and spiritual direction. This particular team
includes priests and Catholic laywomen, as well as the Religious sisters. Saint Ignatius started
Retreats in Daily Life for people who could not take the time to have weekly or monthly full-time
retreats. Once a year on average Graham has been a Companion for people in Catholic parishes who
have chosen to take such a retreat. Each day the retreatant will spend at least 30 minutes in private
prayer, and then 30 minutes with a Companion. A meeting of all involved begins the retreat and
another gives the opportunity for people to share their experiences at the end of the week. Graham
is a “Catholic” for the week and finds Salvation Army and Catholic journeys with Jesus are often
remarkably similar.

Over many years the Millars had continued as soldiers of the Wellington City Corps but later
offered their services to the Personnel Secretary and were asked to take over the Paremata Corps
which they led from the beginning of 2000 to June 2001. During this time they were able to bring to
fruition a plan to move the corps into new premises. In July 2001 came a further move when
Graham was invited to become the minister of the Ngaio Union Church, on the initiative of
Salvationist Colin Moore who was an office-bearer in that congregation, and served as “Minister’s
Steward” for Graham during his pastorate there. A large contingent from Paremata Corps attended
to “hand him over” at his induction at Ngaio, where he spent three years working three-quarter time
and a further two years half time. This role involved attending and reporting to the Methodist
Synod, the Presbyterian Presbytery, and UCANZ forum, and in consequence the Millars are now
invited to the Presbyterian retired ministers’ meetings as well as Salvation Army retired officers’
gatherings. About a year after retiring from Ngaio, Graham was asked to act for 2009 as “Minister
for the 10.00am [English-speaking] Congregation” at Taranaki Street Wesley Church, a large multi-
cultural Methodist church in central Wellington. The Millars are still active members of the Ngaio
congregation where Graham currently serves as Treasurer in addition to leading services and
preaching regularly there and at other churches.

In January 2020, Enid and Graham celebrated 60 years of marriage and ministry. Although
this article is mainly about Graham, Enid’s many roles are significant in themselves as well as
supporting and supplementing Graham’s. As an officer Enid was appreciated for her preaching, and
she once had an appointment as Missing Persons Secretary. Pastoral care of people in and out of the
church has been and still is a ministry she exercises well. Her professional roles in secretarial and
accounting work, both within the Salvation Army and outside of it, her roles as mother and
grandmother, and her wide interests are part of a lifelong pattern of service to others.

Graham’s experience and observation of the counselling scene made him aware of a gap in
available services, in that many older people who could have benefited from counselling assistance
were either unaware of available opportunities or unable to afford them. Working towards this from
about 2004, he was prime mover in bringing into being a counselling service for older people,
known as “WellElder”. This operates on a low-fee basis (clients are told what it costs and pay what
they can afford), drawing funding from a variety of donations and other sources, including
especially the District Health Board as the main funder, and it has become a valued service to the
Wellington community. Graham served as chairperson from its inception in 2007 until 2014 and
continues as a board member.

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Those in a position to know have appreciated and acknowledged Graham’s service both to
The Salvation Army and to the wider church. Commissioner Robert Donaldson, then Territorial
Commander for New Zealand, wrote in 2015;

As a Corps Officer Graham Millar provided forward thinking and community-focussed
leadership within communities in New Zealand. As time has progressed his innovations have
become commonplace in Salvation Army ministry and service . . .

Of particular note is the extensive personal and professional support that Graham Millar
has provided to Salvation Army personnel over many years. His wise and confidential counsel
has been sought consistently by a wide range of personnel (including current and former
national leaders of The Salvation Army). Furthermore, Graham has continued his influence on
the development of Salvation Army staff support policies and systems, as well as further
education and professional development policies.

In summary, Graham Millar could be described as one of those quiet, background, yet
hugely significant influencers who have enormously contributed to the shaping of The Salvation
Army.18
Graham’s successor in leadership at the Ngaio Union Church, the Rev Lionel Nunns, has
summed up Graham’s motivation as follows;

The style of that ministry has always been outwardly focussed; Graham readily uses his
understanding of people, spirituality and ‘systems’ for the good of people out in the community,
especially those with few means and little power. Here lies Graham’s true self – he is utterly
committed to justice; that the weak are resourced and empowered to challenge that which causes
them to be weak and keeps them so. He constantly demonstrates his commitment to seeing our
society in Aotearoa New Zealand being one that shies away from favouring wealth and fame,
and instead provides a fair go for everyone . . .

It can be said that some people seem to attract attention to their good works and their
benevolence. Not so Graham. He flies under the radar and just gets on with his life of helping,
resourcing and loving ordinary people.19

This paper is intended to bring together and place that service on record.

Enid and Graham with their sons Peter, Paul, Stephen, and Tim, 201820
Graham’s family also consists of four daughters-in-law and nine grandchildren, not shown here

18 Letter by Commissioner Robert Donaldson, (15 May 2015), in author’s possession and quoted with permission.
19 Letter by Rev Lionel Nunns, (17 May 2015), in author’s possession and quoted with permission.
20 Photograph courtesy of the Millar family

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 122

TRIBUTE – HAROLD IVOR WINSTON HILL
BA (Hons), BTh, PhD
1942 – 2020

Kingsley Sampson

Major Dr Harold Hill was a teacher, missionary, researcher, author, publisher, historian, theologian,
prophet, husband, parent, grandfather, Anglican and life-long Salvationist. He was intelligent,
insightful and witty. The only child of New Zealand Salvation Army officers, Hill’s early years were
spent with his parents in their appointments in country towns and rural locations such as the Whatman
Children’s Home (Masterton) and Hodderville Training Farm (near Putaruru). Hill began his
undergraduate studies at Victoria University of Wellington in 1960 and he graduated BA (Hons) in
history in 1965. He later completed a Bachelor of Theology (1982) and Doctorate of Philosophy in
Religious Studies (2005).1

I first knew of Hill through Battlepoint, a magazine published by The Salvation Army Students’
Fellowship (SASF) in New Zealand from 1963 to 1988. Hill was the founding editor (1963 – 1966)
and like all editors, knew the struggles of sourcing content and securing subscribers. Hill went to
London for Salvation Army officer training in 1970 and after marrying Dr Pat Cruickshank went to
Howard Institute in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) where they served from 1972 – 1979. Back in New
Zealand, Hill had some study leave and three corps appointments until 1995 when he became
territorial education secretary. He also served as an adjunct tutor at the officer training college where
I was education officer. Later in 2000 the Territorial Education Department became the Centre for
Distance Learning in the reconfigured and renamed Booth College of Mission (BCM) in Upper Hutt.
In his retirement Hill continued teaching at BCM until 2019 and also as an adjunct tutor for Salvation
Army colleges in Australia and Canada.

Hill was an inspiring, thoughtful and well-prepared teacher whose natural preference was for a
free-flowing teaching style. This meant that at times he expressed frustration at what he felt were the
unreasonable expectations of modern educational compliance requirements. He was known for his
quick wit and his ability to effortlessly drop into any conversation pithy and apposite statements from
classical literature and other sources. When I asked him about this, thinking he had had a classical
education as part of his undergraduate studies, he replied that he just had the ability to remember and
recall such quotations and to use them at appropriate moments.

Throughout his life, Hill collected documents and other items of interest about The Salvation
Army; these all coming together in his PhD thesis which was published in 2007 as Leadership in The
Salvation Army: a case study in clericalisation.2 After its publication, I happened to be talking about
this book with a Presbyterian academic. In reply to my comment that the book, while of great import
to the Army might not be so applicable to other denominations, my friend replied, “Oh no!
Presbyterians (and others) face exactly the same issues.”

Reference citation of this paper; Kingsley Sampson, “Tribute – Harold Ivor Winston Hill BA (Hons), BTh, PhD
– 1942 – 2020”, The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history, 5, 2, 2020, 123 – 128.
1 Readers can learn more about Hill in Harold Hill, “Meet the author”, Australasian journal of Salvation Army history,
Vol. 3, Iss. 1, 2018, 45 – 49, https://issuu.com/salvos/docs/ajsah_vol_3_iss_1; “A dangerous mind”, War cry, (New
Zealand, 4 November 2017), 6 – 9, https://issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry/docs/04_november_2017_issuu.
2 Harold Hill, Leadership in The Salvation Army: A case study in clericalization, (Milton Keynes, UK: Paternoster,
2006).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 123

Photographic portrait of Major Dr Harold Hill BA(Hon), BTh3

3 Photo by A. J. Johnston. Courtesy of War cry, (New Zealand, 4 November 2017).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 124

In his role as book publications manager in the early to mid 2000s, Hill was responsible for
bringing together in one volume a variety of documents that related to The Salvation Army’s ministry
among Maori. Since its publication in 2007, Te Ope Whakaora has proved invaluable to the
revitalisation of the Army’s Maori Ministries.4 Captain Hana Seddon, Divisional Secretary for
Northern Division Maori Ministry commented: “The stories and themes from this beautiful book have
fuelled, informed and inspired me in the mahi [work] I have been part of over the years.”5

Hill’s own history of The Salvation Army, Saved to save and saved to serve: Perspectives on
Salvation Army theology and practice is another book that came from his life-long interest in the
story of the Army.6 This book resulted from a melanoma diagnosis in 2015, something which
propelled Hill into publishing his Salvation Army history lecture notes. In writing the foreword,
Retired General John Larsson described the book as so original that it created a new genre of Salvation
Army historiography, something quite different from other histories about the Army, whether official
or interpretive.7

My closest working association with Hill was over the last five to six years as he and I and
others investigated the New Zealand Salvation Army’s response to the First World War. What began
as a series of articles eventually became Under two flags: The New Zealand Salvation Army’s
response to the First World War.8 Hill contributed 11 out of 22 chapters to this book. Of particular
note were his analysis of the New Zealand Salvationists who enlisted in this conflict (chapters 1 – 6),
his examination of how the New Zealand War cry represented Germany during the war (chapter 14)
and his reflection on the war’s impact on the Army after hostilities had ended (chapter 22).

In this project, I saw at first hand Hill’s determined research skills and his insightful analysis.
An example of this was the summary of New Zealand Salvationists who enlisted in the First World
War that he created after trawling through online military records and the 1914 – 1919 copies of War
cry for information relating to more than 400 men. With the addition of photographs of Salvationist
combatants and the gravestones of those killed in action or who died of their wounds, this unpublished
volume now extends to over 400 pages.9 With Hill’s passing, it is regrettable that we will not have
available such skill and dedication should we proceed with a companion volume about the NZ
Salvation Army’s response to the Second World War.

Other publications in which Hill’s work has featured are listed in the “Meet the author” article
published in AJSAH, Volume 3, Issue 1, 2018 – and there is still more to come. Following an idea
sparked by the Journal of aggressive Christianity, Hill drew together a collection of previously
published articles, talks given at conferences and other research interests into what would be his final
book. In fact, he completed the last two chapters only a couple of weeks before his passing. Entitled
Service with the Sallies: Occasional papers or “Remains of a day” with The Salvation Army, it is
expected that this will be published by FLAG Publications before the end of 2020.

4 Harold Hill (ed), Te Ope Whakaora: The Army that brings life: A collection of documents on The Salvation Army and
Maori 1884 – 2007, (Wellington, NZ: Flag Publications, 2007).
5 Email, Irene Farnham to Kingsley Sampson, (21 May 2020).
6 Harold Hill, Saved to save and saved to serve: Perspectives on Salvation Army history, (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf &
Stock, 2017).
7 John Larsson in Hill, Saved to save, xi.
8 Kingsley Sampson (ed), Under two flags: The New Zealand Salvation Army’s response to the First World War,
(Wellington, NZ: Flag Publications, 2019).
9 Harold Hill & Kingsley Sampson, For God, King and Country: A supplement to under two flags, (Unpublished
manuscript, 2019).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 125

In his editorial in the tribute edition of the Journal of aggressive Christianity dedicated to
Harold Hill earlier this year, Major Stephen Court described Hill as a “penetrating Salvo prophetic
thinker” and a “thoughtful prophet”.10 Prophets are not always comfortable to have around and Hill
was no exception. His wife Pat thinks the Army did not always know what to do with him and
remembers that she was warned against marrying him by a senior Salvation Army leader because he
was a dangerous person with liberal ideas. When questioned about this, Hill was not sure what they
meant but he was glad that Pat did not follow the advice.11

War cry image12
In line with the call of the prophet, Micah 6:8 was a guiding verse for Hill: “What does the Lord
require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” This verse
was mentioned several times at Hill’s funeral service with the officiating priest, Rev Brian Dawson
noting that Hill had lived out this call in his own life.
Besides being a careful historian and an insightful theologian, Hill was also very good at
drawing and sketching. A number of his cartoons appeared in early editions of Battlepoint and it was
not uncommon for him to while away tedious board meetings by sketching classic cars, his favourite
designs including Alvis and Citroen.

A Hill cartoon from a cover of Battlepoint13

10 Stephen Court, “Editorial introduction”, Journal of aggressive Christianity, No. 126, (April – May 2020), 3.
http://www.armybarmy.com/pdf/JAC_Issue_126.pdf accessed 15 August 2020.
11 “A dangerous mind”, War cry, (New Zealand, 4 November 2017), 7.
12 War cry, (4 November 2017), 6 – 7.
13 Battlepoint, (September 1965).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 126

As well as being a life-long Salvationist, Harold was also an Anglican from his late teens. At
his funeral held at St Peter’s Anglican Church in Wellington, the church where he and Pat had
attended for the last 13 years, Brian Dawson noted that Hill saw membership of both the Anglican
Church and The Salvation Army as his way of affirming that there is only one Church. He likened it
to having two passports and did not see why anyone should be restricted by narrow
denominationalism from appreciating the riches of other traditions. This meant that for many years,
Hill attended an 8:00am Anglican eucharist on a Sunday and then went off to kneedrill at a nearby
citadel.

Among the tributes on several Facebook pages, Commissioner Phil Needham wrote: “Harold
was a truth teller without rancor, a highly perceptive observer and a brilliant analyst. You could trust
anything he claimed with his gentle spirit.” Major Christina Tyson, former editor of the New Zealand
War cry wrote: “He will always be one of my absolute heroes of proper, meaningful Salvationism
and of what it means to be inclusive of ‘the whosoever’”.14 Lifelong friends Colonels Margaret and
Laurence Hay described Hill as a humble, humorous and holy person and “the saint of unpopular
causes [within the Army]”. By “unpopular causes”, they were referring to Hill’s representation of the
Army in such organisations as the Wellington Abrahamic Council and other inter-faith gatherings.15

When purchasing their retirement home, Harold and Pat were fortunate to find a property with
a very large room overlooking nearby homes and a motorway. This room provided space for Hill’s
study and the sizable library of books he had accumulated over the years. It was here that he continued
his research and writing right until his death.

Sketch by Hill which advertised a Dunedin bookstore16
Known by the initials of ‘HH’ when signing something he had written or the surname ‘Hill’
appended to a cartoon or sketch, Harold Ivor Winston Hill was promoted to Glory on 3 August 2020.
With his passing, The Salvation Army in New Zealand has lost a deeply loved and respected officer
and an exceptional historian. For me, he was also a good friend and colleague. I enjoyed working
with him and I will miss him.

14 Various authors, https://www.facebook.com/pat.harold accessed 18 August 2020.
15 Margaret Hay and Laurence Hay, “An open letter to Major Harold Hill, PhD”, Journal of aggressive Christianity,
No. 126, (April – May 2020), 5 – 8, http://www.armybarmy.com/pdf/JAC_Issue_126.pdf. accessed 15 August 2020.
16 Battlepoint, (December 1965), back cover.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 127

Hill on cover of War cry17

17 War cry, (4 November 2017), 1.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 128

‘TO MEET A NEED IN THE LIFE OF SALVATIONIST STUDENTS’:
THE STORY OF THE SALVATION ARMY STUDENTS’ FELLOWSHIP

IN NEW ZEALAND
PART ONE: FROM THE MID-1950S TO THE LATE 1960S

Kingsley Sampson

Preface

The impetus for this history is a statement made by Major Dr Harold Hill in December 2019, that we
needed to record the history of the New Zealand Salvation Army Students’ Fellowship (SASF) before
too many more years passed, given the increasing age of those who were members of the fellowship.1
As the task developed, it became clear that the story would be best covered in three separate articles:
a general history of the fellowship in New Zealand and separate histories about Battlepoint magazine
and the 1972 Fiji Evangelistic Trek.2 Information has come from a variety of sources including
records held in The Salvation Army’s Archives at Booth College of Mission, Upper Hutt and the
personal memories of SASF members.

This history seeks to tell the story of the SASF as it operated in New Zealand as a witness to
the energy, drive and enthusiasm of all who were involved in this unique fellowship. It will also act
as a reminder of activities undertaken by a group of Salvationist students and graduates from the mid-
1950s to the early 1970s to encourage a thoughtful and reasoned approach to Salvationism and the
Christian faith.

Due to length, this story will be published in two parts. Part One will cover SASF regular branch
events, annual house parties and capping celebrations in the period from the mid-1950s to the late
1960s. Part Two will report on holiday treks, the attempt to reactivate the SASF in 1971 – 1972 and
conclude with a reflection on the SASF as it operated in New Zealand.

Beginnings

There were few university graduates among early Salvationists, but this began to change by the 1940s.
During this decade, Salvation Army student fellowships were first formed in Norway, then in Sweden,
the United States and Great Britain with Australia following in the 1950s.3 The first groups started
informally but eventually international recognition was gained in 1950. In the United Kingdom, the
SASF came within the territorial youth secretary’s jurisdiction but not in New Zealand. Here it was
more often left to local oversight and the support of a significant patron or graduate.

In New Zealand in the 1950s and 60s, there were active groups in Auckland, Wellington and
Christchurch with a less formal grouping in Dunedin. The word ‘active’ does need some qualifying.

Reference citation of this paper; Kingsley Sampson, “‘To meet a need in the life of Salvationists Students’: The
story of The Salvation Army Students’ Fellowship in New Zealand. Part one: From the mid-1950s to the late
1960s”, The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history, 5, 2, 2020, 129 – 149.
1 Emails, Harold Hill to Kingsley Sampson, (21 December 2019).
2 See Kingsley Sampson, “Spying out the land: The Salvation Army’s exploratory trek to Fiji”, The Australasian
journal of Salvation Army history, 5, 2, 2020, 93 – 110.; The second and concluding part of “‘To Meet a Need in the
Life of Salvationist Students’: The Story of the Salvation Army Students’ Fellowship in New Zealand” will be
published in the next issue of the Australasian journal of Salvation Army history.
3 Caughey Gauntlett. “Whither Now?” 3 – 9, in The Salvation Army year book 1970 reprinted in Battlepoint, 8, 1,
(September 1970).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 129

Information advertising the Salvation Army Students’ Fellowship
in a New Zealand issue of The war cry4

4 The war cry, (New Zealand, 14 March 1964), 5.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 130

Depending on personnel and interest, the active groups seem to have met three or four times a year
for organised events with informal and spasmodic gatherings at other times.

Information about the SASF in Wellington5

The Wellington branch 1955-19666

The first meeting of the Salvation Army Students’ Fellowship in New Zealand occurred in Wellington
in August 1955 following an invitation by Brigadier Harry Goffin, Territorial Young People’s
Secretary to interested Salvationists to form a New Zealand branch of the SASF.7 The impetus for
this came from a celebratory evening in May 1955 held to congratulate Senior-Captain John C. Waite
(often called Charles or Charlie) on his graduation after completing studies in history and journalism.8
Many of the guests at that celebration were Salvationists who themselves had been students at
university. During the evening, the observation was made that it would be good if Salvationist
students and graduates could meet again in the future. In the discussion, Colonel A. B. Cook (known
as Bram), Chief Secretary told the gathering about the SASF in Great Britain and other countries.

Following this, the newly formed Salvation Army New Zealand Students’ Fellowship held three
events in Wellington in 1956. Professor Colin L. Bailey of Victoria University College spoke about
relations between church and state in the development of education in New Zealand; Dr. Clarence
Jayne from the Department of Education, University of Wyoming spoke about ‘The Christian student
on the American campus’; and a social evening was held to celebrate the graduation from university
of some of their members.

The 1956 annual report described the purpose of this new group as

…to meet a need in the life of Salvationist students and graduates and to provide a place where
the group as a body will be able to exercise an influence on the life of the Army.9
Sadly, this optimism did not carry over into 1957. That year’s annual report stated that “students are
not very interested in the Fellowship” and that the discussion evenings were attended mainly by
graduates, not students.10

5 The war cry, (New Zealand, 16 January 1965), 11.
6 The information in this section comes from Brian Thompson, “The Salvation Army Students’ Fellowship in New
Zealand”, Battlepoint, 9, 2, (December 1971), 4 – 5.
7 Letter, Henry Goffin to prospective SASF members, 18 August 1955, as quoted in Thompson, “SASF in NZ”, 4.
8 Cyril Bradwell, Touched with Splendour: a 20th century pilgrimage, (Wellington: Flag Publications, 2003). 145.
9 1956 Annual Report of the SASF, 19 November 1956 as quoted in Thompson, “SASF in NZ”, 4 – 5.
10 1957 Annual Report of the SASF, 13 March 1958 as quoted in Thompson, “SASF in NZ”, 5.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 131

For the next four years, there were annual social functions to honour Salvationist graduates and

occasional meetings with guest speakers. For example, on Sunday 25 May 1959, Colonel Dr Bram

Cook chaired a special meeting of the Wellington SASF at Kilbirnie Corps at which Senior-Captain
Dr Ernest Pedersen MBBS (Melb) spoke.11 Forty people attended this meeting at which Pedersen
gave “an illuminating account of the worthwhileness of medical missionary work in India”.12
Pedersen was about to take charge of The Salvation Army’s Emery Hospital, Anand, India. At other

meetings that year, Mr L. Gardiner, BA gave an illustrated talk on Russia and Senior-Major Keith
Baker spoke to the student fellowship about pioneering the Army’s work in New Guinea, work which
he and his wife, Edna commenced in 1956.13 By 1962 however, the group was no longer active.

The Wellington group was reactivated in 1963 upon the return of Major John Waite to that city

where he took up the appointment of War cry editor. Ken Geard observed that the reactivated group

consisted of two generations of SASF members, older members who had had some past association
with SASF and a younger cohort of current Salvationist students.14 Among those who assisted this

reactivation was Max Cresswell of Wellington South Corps who had had experience of the SASF
while undertaking doctoral studies in the United Kingdom.15

The re-established group revived the previous pattern of occasional education and fellowship

meetings. Some of these meetings were held in the home of the Cresswell family in Kilbirnie. Others
were held at Salvation Army centres such as ‘The Green House’, 31 Vivian Street, Wellington.16 The

group had a secretary whose major role was to organise the meetings and liaise with the broader
Salvation Army system.17 One event in April 1963 was a discussion about the Congress meetings

held in Wellington earlier in the month. From this discussion, recommendations for future congresses
were presented to the territorial commander, Commissioner Alfred J. Gilliard at his invitation.18

In 1965 the Wellington branch sponsored an open forum at The Green House. The war cry
reported that the lecture room was fully taxed for the event and that discussion was “spontaneous,
interesting and lively”.19 Other 1965 events included an informal discussion on ‘Evangelism in the
Present Age’, the screening of a film presenting differing views on the role of universities and a social
evening to celebrate The Salvation Army’s Centenary.20 The next year, 1966, The war cry reported

that Commissioner Charles Davidson was the guest speaker on Tuesday 21 June at a SASF meeting
in Wellington’s Green House. He spoke on his experiences of serving in post-war Japan.21

The group also conducted occasional Sunday meetings at corps in the Wellington region. In

1963 The war cry reported that Wellington SASF members had conducted Sunday meetings at
Naenae Corps and were later to conduct a meeting at the Wellington Bridge in Vivian Street.22 A June

1964 War cry announced that Wellington SASF members were soon to conduct a meeting at Paremata
Corps23 and during 1965, members of the Wellington branch participated in a salvation meeting with

11 The war cry, (New Zealand, 16 May 1959), 7.
12 The war cry, (New Zealand, 6 June 1959), 6.
13 The war cry, (New Zealand, 13 July 1963), 4.; The war cry, (New Zealand, 7 November 1959), 7.
14 Email, Ken Geard to Sampson, (20 May 2020).
15 Email, Max Cresswell to Sampson, (19 March 2020).
16 ‘The Green House’ was a Salvation Army Social Service Training Centre in central Wellington.
17 Email, Geard to Sampson, (20 May 2020).
18 Typed minutes of congress meetings discussion by SASF Wellington Branch, April 1963 in Brian Thompson’s SASF
papers, New Zealand Salvation Army Heritage Centre & Archives, Upper Hutt.
19 The war cry, (New Zealand, 2 October 1965), 5.
20 Wellington SASF branch newsletter, 14 April 1965 in Thompson’s SASF papers, NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.
21 The war cry, (New Zealand, 15 January 1966), 9.; Ian Thomson, “Post-War reconstruction in Japan” (Wellington
SASF Report), Battlepoint, 4, 1, (September 1966), 16 – 17.
22 The war cry, (New Zealand, 13 July 1963), 4.
23 The war cry, (New Zealand, 20 June 1964), 11.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 132

a different format at Kilbirnie Corps where three-quarters of the meeting was taken up with a panel
discussion. The panel consisted of equal numbers of students and corps soldiers and answered
questions submitted beforehand by corps members. Keen interest and lively participation
characterised the event, the only complaint being that there was not enough time to develop the
discussion in depth.24 In the middle of the following year 1966, several Wellington SASF members
conducted Sunday meetings at Miramar Corps.25

Information on the international SASF26
The Christchurch branch 1959 – 1967

The Christchurch SASF branch was begun in 1959 after discussions between Major John Waite and
Linwood Corps CSM Cyril Bradwell.27 Waite had been transferred to Christchurch as the Canterbury-
Westland Divisional Young People’s Secretary. In the first two years, the branch meetings were
mainly evening social gatherings with much informal discussion. These were held in the homes of
older graduates and in contrast to Wellington, attracted primarily young students.28

Two meetings with guest speakers were held in 1961. On Monday 12 June, a lively meeting
was held at the home of Cyril and Nola Bradwell during the visit of a former chief secretary, Lt.
Commissioner Charles Duncan to New Zealand. The war cry reported that the commissioner gave an
‘informative talk’ with the students and graduates present asking “searching questions”.29 Later on
Friday 28 July, Commissioner and Mrs Gilliard held a meeting with Salvationist students at Bethany
Hospital. The commissioner chatted informally about the SASF and expressed his hope that the New

24 The war cry, (New Zealand, 30 October 1965), 3.
25 The war cry, (New Zealand, 27 August 1966), 8.
26 The war cry, (New Zealand, 28 May 1966), 10.
27 Information about the Christchurch branch’s activities are based on Cyril Bradwell, “Some notes on the Christchurch
branch of the SASF”, typescript, n.d., together with other SASF documents lodged in NZSA Heritage Centre &
Archives, File A2008.036.115.
28 Thompson, “SASF in NZ”, 5.
29 The war cry, (New Zealand, 24 June 1961), 4.

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Zealand SASF would copy its overseas counterparts and undertake a bold evangelistic crusade during
the forthcoming Christmas-New Year holidays.30

A fellowship programme dated 25 February 1963 gives an example of a SASF meeting at the
quarters of Captain Brian McStay, the new divisional youth officer. After a song, prayer and some
general business, the main part of the evening was spent discussing the impact of the church in today’s
world. The evening concluded with supper and vespers. Other events during 1963 included
discussions about the lack of student candidates for officership and the theory of evolution.31 The
year ended with a break-up function at the Christchurch People’s Palace.32

In 1965 quite a few discussions were held on the topic of the training of officers in the Army.
Some work was done on a comprehensive piece of research into recommendations to be submitted to
the training college, but Cyril Bradwell commented that “we were probably all too busy to see this
project through to the desired conclusion”.33

The Christchurch group also adopted a policy of allowing anyone who was interested to come
to the meetings. This was partly because there were several keen people who were not doing
university or teachers’ college courses and partly to counter criticism that the SASF was an exclusive
‘snob’ group.

Sunday meetings were conducted from time to time in corps by Christchurch SASF members.
On Sunday 16 September 1962, eighteen Christchurch Salvationist students conducted a full
Sunday’s meetings at Rangiora Corps, including the holiness and salvation meetings, the Sunday
school, morning and evening open air meetings and a prayer meeting. Their activities included trying
out some experimental open-air meeting techniques for an audience of Sunday afternoon motorists at
the Woodend Beach camping ground. It was hoped that the day’s activities would provide valuable
experience for a proposed Christmas campaign to camping grounds.34

30 The war cry, (New Zealand, 12 August 1961), 6.
31 “Christchurch SASF branch report”, Battlepoint, 1, 1, (September 1963), 22 – 24.
32 Battlepoint, 1, 2, (December 1963), 22.
33 Bradwell, “Some notes”, n.p.
34 The war cry, (New Zealand, 29 September 1962), 4.; The war cry, (New Zealand, 13 October 1962), 8. See report in
part two about the holiday trek to Waimate and Temuka in late December 1962 – early January 1963.

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Christchurch SASF students conducting meetings at Rangiora Corps, 196235
Back row, standing L-R: Dulcie Jones, Margaret Major, Lynnette McKenzie (now Lightfoot), Bob

Best, Cyril Bradwell, Alan Cook, Carolyn Suter, Ken Smeaton, Ann Skilton.
Front row, seated L-R: Elizabeth Reid, Tom Griffiths?, Clive Luscombe, Margaret Richardson,

Howard McDonald, Laurence Hay, Glynda Howells.

In 1963 the Christchurch SASF presented a puppet show “on the advantages of the central
holiness meeting” at the annual divisional athletic day at Christchurch’s English Park and a
demonstration of beach evangelism at youth councils.36 They also conducted a Sunday night meeting
at St. Albans Corps, did a Saturday morning’s Self-Denial collecting at Rangiora and held a jumble
sale to raise funds for their upcoming Christmas Trek.37

In the following years the Christchurch Students’ Fellowship led a meeting at Linwood Corps
in 1964 and on Sunday 21 November 1965, branch members travelled to Ashburton.38 There they
held a fellowship tea with corps youth and led the evening meeting with the theme “The Meaning of
Worship.” Speakers were Beverly Graham (Praise in Worship), David Daley (Music in Worship) and
Lynette Smeaton (Reasons for our Worship).39

In addition to these Sunday outings, Christchurch students helped Captain Brian McStay with
radio and television programmes, the development and funding of the Glentui camp and McStay’s

35 Photo from Commissioner Bram Cook collection. Courtesy of Graham Cook.
36 The war cry, (New Zealand, 30 November 1963), 8.
37 “Christchurch SASF branch Report”, Battlepoint, 1, 1, (September 1963), 24.
38 The war cry, (New Zealand, 18 April 1964), 10.
39 “Christchurch SASF report”, Battlepoint, 3, 4, (June 1966), 14 – 17.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 135

travels around the South Island. Some students, such as Carolyn Suter helped with writing scripts and
presenting children’s radio broadcasts. In another venture in 1965, Bryce Hawkey transposed original
songs written by McStay for a musical called Marching as to war which was produced in
Christchurch’s Regent Theatre and later taken to Wellington for the ‘Speeding the Gospel’ Centennial
Youth Congress held over Labour Weekend.40

The northern (Auckland-Hamilton) branch 1961-1967

Information about the SASF in New Zealand41

The origins of a SASF branch in Auckland arose from a meeting in the first part of 1961 hosted
at Auckland Congress Hall by visiting Commissioner Gilliard who as Brian Pauling put it “appeared
to have some sympathy with student aspirations.” This meeting attracted an assorted group of young
students and more mature graduates, including Dr Tom Rive, then bandmaster at Congress Hall and
senior lecturer (later professor) of music at Auckland University. As the Auckland SASF branch
subsequently developed, it was the current, younger students that formed the base and organised
follow-up events.42

The branch got formally underway with an inaugural meeting at the home of Bandmaster Tom
Rive on 9 June 1961. Lance Rive was the first secretary of this branch which encompassed students
residing in Auckland and Hamilton, both centres being within the boundaries of the then Northern
Division. Thirteen people were present for a subsequent meeting in September 1961 where among
items discussed was a proposal from Brigadier Ernest Elliot, Territorial Youth Secretary for a national
SASF conference at Camp Akatarawa in May 1962.43 Later on 25 – 26 November, branch members
conducted Sunday meetings and a short SASF seminar at Paeroa Corps.

The first meeting for 1962 was held in Hamilton under the leadership of the new divisional
youth secretary and branch SASF president, Captain Eric Bridle. Twenty-two people were present
and Pam Jones showed slides taken during the recent Christmas Trek. In May, 29 people attended a
graduation evening at which four Salvationists were honoured, Les Blanchard, BA, Don Jackson, Dip
Architecture, Doug Laskey, Accountancy and Eva Fitness, Nursing.44 The evening included
humorous speeches and songs about the four who had completed their studies.

40 Letter, Brian McStay to Sampson, (1 January 2020).
41 The war cry, (New Zealand, 20 July 1963), 5.
42 Brian Pauling, SASF memoir, (26 July 2020).
43 Details about Auckland SASF branch meetings come from the branch minute book 1961 – 1964 unless otherwise
noted. Minute book in Thompson’s SASF papers, NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives, Upper Hutt.
44 The war cry, (New Zealand, 2 June 1962), 10.

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A report from the Northern Division’s SASF45

Humorous song at Auckland graduation evening, 1962
L-R: Tom Rive, Chris Brunskill, Tom Smith

Other 1962 events included a meeting in June when Cadet Wilson Change gave a talk about
Korea and student activities. The year finished with a trip to Rotorua Corps on 24 – 25 November.
During this visit, the students conducted a Saturday night meeting and two meetings, a seminar and
three open air meetings on the Sunday.

Auckland SASF members at Rotorua, 25 November 196246
Back Row: Robert Imlach, Tom Smith, Brian Pauling, Lance Rive, Capt. Eric Bridle (DYS and SASF

President). Front row: Chris Brunskill, Don Jackson, Adrienne Browne, Pam Jones,
Faye Levett (later Rive), Lt. Esther Crichton.

45 The war cry, (New Zealand, 2 June 1962), 10.
46 Photograph from the Brian Thompson Collection.

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The report of the Auckland SASF members at Rotorua, 25 November 196247

In 1963, branch activities included a meeting in Auckland in July when Commissioner Gilliard
spoke on the history and development of the SASF. The discussion at this meeting was further
enhanced by a letter from Bandmaster Tom Rive which queried the usefulness and necessity of the
SASF. It was such a stimulating occasion that it was after 12.30am before the last members left for
home.48 Later in November, a meeting in Hamilton included the playing of a tape recorded talk by
Dominion Evangelist Major Wesley Simpson which led to a discussion about evangelism especially
open-air witness and personal contacts.49 There was no corps visit after final exams this year.

In March 1964, the branch held a discussion about the use of guitars and modern music for the
gospel while in July, more than 25 people gathered in Auckland to hear Murray Harris of Glendowie
College speak on ‘The human and Divine Christ’. The end-of-year corps visit was to Te Awamutu.
The next year (1965), a meeting was held at the Auckland People’s Palace in April where the meeting
topic was ‘The new morality’ and later, the branch conducted a weekend holiday camp for under-
privileged boys in 1966 in conjunction with the Auckland Rotary Club.50

In July 1967, a SASF weekend seminar was held near Auckland at Kauri Lodge, Manukau
Heads. Study leaders during the weekend included Rev George Armstrong (St John’s College),

47 The war cry, (New Zealand, 29 December 1962), 6.
48 “Auckland SASF branch report” Battlepoint, 1, 1, (September 1963), 25.
49 “Auckland SASF branch report” Battlepoint, 1, 2, (December 1963), 21 – 22.
50 Thompson, “SASF in NZ”, 6.

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Associate Professor Dr Tom Rive (Auckland University), Lt-Colonel Ernest Elliot (Divisional
Commander) and Dr Max Cresswell (Victoria University of Wellington). Among topics covered by
the study leaders were the question of moral choice and the theology of sin. The weekend also
included an open forum. 51

SASF Camp Manukau Heads 1967
Standing: Anne Raethel (formerly Frew, half hidden), Helen Bradwell (later May), Andrew Rowney,
Harold Shepherd, Unknown, Brian Thompson, Judith Christensen, Ken Geard, Lois Bugden (later

McDonald), Howard McDonald, Alex Raethel, Brian Pauling, Glenis Staples, Unknown.
Seated: Max Cresswell, Unknown.52

Apart from these ‘regular’ events, Brian Pauling recalled that the branch held a bi-annual
dinner, usually held at the Top-of-the Town Restaurant above the Intercontinental (now Crowne
Plaza) Hotel on Waterloo Quadrant. Formal dining was rare in the 1960s and relatively expensive,
but the dinners were lively events attended by up to a dozen students and they became occasions
when ‘radical ideas’ were explored in a convivial environment.53

Salvationist student activity in Dunedin 1960s

Salvationist students attended all three Dunedin corps in the 1960s (North, Fortress and South). In
1962, the Southern Division DYPS reported that they would try to arrange three student get-togethers
in 1962 and that 12 students had expressed interest in attending that year’s Spencerville Camp.54 A
further letter reported 16 registered SASF students, five not registered and six graduates in the
division.55 The next year, Karl Lorier was listed as Dunedin SASF Secretary in the first issue
of Battlepoint in 196356 but despite these glimpses, from records available, it seems that no formal
SASF branch operated. However, with the university and teachers’ college being close by, North
Dunedin Corps had a strong student focus for a number of years.

51 ‘SASF Seminar Brochure’ in Thompson’s SASF Papers, NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.; Brian Thompson. “The
New Zealand Fellowship Only for ‘Educational Drop-Ins’?” Battlepoint, 10, 1, (September 1972), 4.
52 Photograph courtesy of Helen May.
53 Pauling, SASF memoir, (26 July 2020).
54 Letter, Grace King to Ernest Elliot, (6 April 1962), NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.
55 Letter, Grace King to Ernest Elliot, (17 April 1962), NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.
56 Battlepoint, 1, 1, (September 1963), 26.

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In later years, some activities with a SASF-focus or input were held from time to time. In
1969 Battlepoint reported that Salvationist students in Dunedin had sponsored a seminar day for
Salvationists at the Salvation Army’s Port Chalmers Youth Centre with contributions by Major Pearce
McNabb (Sanctification), Rev Ken Irwin (Christian Involvement in Society) and Captain Rodney
Knight (Changing Patterns of Social Need and Action). 57 Earlier, occasional seminars had been held
in an informal coffee bar run in the old Dunedin South citadel in King Edward Street. As well,
Dunedin North was regarded as a corps with a student focus for some years.

Other centres

There was no active SASF branch in Palmerston North Corps despite there being a number of
university and teachers’ college students at the corps58 and only passing references can be found to
SASF-type activities. In 1964 The war cry noted that the Wellington SASF members planned to spend
a forthcoming weekend with Salvationist students in Palmerston North but it is not known if this went
ahead.59 On occasions, Palmerston North graduates were acknowledged at the Wellington SASF
capping celebrations.60 As well, several Salvationist students from Palmerston North attended a 1971
Wellington SASF evening with Professor Lloyd Geering and in 1972, four Salvationist students or
graduates attended the national SASF conference at Wallis House.61

Annual house parties

As well as fellowship cum social cum educational gatherings for students, occasional meetings at
corps and participation in regular corps activities such as band, songsters and Sunday school teaching,
SASF branches held annual house parties (also known as study weekends or weekend seminars),
capping reviews and holiday outreach treks.

The first house party or study weekend for the Christchurch SASF branch was held at the
YWCA camp at Spencerville, about 12km from Christchurch from 30 June to 2 July 1961 under the
leadership of Major Waite assisted by Cyril Bradwell. Mavis Waite and Nola Bradwell looked after
the catering. Cyril Bradwell believed this was the first weekend seminar held by the SASF in New
Zealand. The booklet Jesus Christ - the light of the world formed the basis of group discussions which
looked at the themes of witness, service and unity and particularly the work and the place of The
Salvation Army in the Christian Church. This booklet had been prepared in advance of a forthcoming
World Council of Churches conference at New Delhi.

The weekend’s programme consisted of study groups followed by plenary sessions on Friday
evening, Saturday morning and evening and Sunday morning and afternoon. These were interspersed
with free time on Saturday afternoon, a social on Saturday evening, a holiness meeting on Sunday
morning, a first summing up session and a walk on Sunday afternoon and a final summing up session
and epilogue on early Sunday evening.

57 Terrence Aitken, “Report on Dunedin Seminar”, Battlepoint, 7, 2, (December 1969), 2 – 3.
58 Phone interview, June Baken, (22 June 2020).
59 The war cry, (New Zealand, 20 June 1964), 11.
60 The war cry, (New Zealand, 12 June 1965), 8.
61 Phone interview, Lloyd Shearman, (22 May 2020).

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Study Weekend at Spencerville, July 196162
Back row: Ken Smeaton, Cyril Bradwell, Major John Waite, Margaret Major, Laurence Hay
(Obscured) Second row: Nola Bradwell, Carolyn Suter, June Kent, Mavis Waite, Clive Luscombe,

Lindsay Smith, Alan Cook. Front row: Jim Fairbairn, John Waite, Brian Thompson.

A second study weekend was held at Spencerville from 29 June to 1 July 1962. Commissioner
and Mrs Gilliard were the special guests and spent the whole weekend with the students. A small
group travelled by train from Dunedin. They arrived late on Friday night and returned home on an
overnight train, leaving Christchurch late on Sunday night and arriving back in Dunedin at breakfast
time on Monday 2 July.

The study booklet was Christian witness in the world by W. F. Batt (published by InterVarsity
Fellowship) and this formed the basis of discussion in three study sessions. As well as an evening
spiritual message, Commissioner Gilliard gave three ‘outstanding’ talks: “The internationalism of the
SA with particular reference to the International College for Officers”, “Experiences in the SA literary
world” and “Contacts with and impressions of the Generals”.

Other activities during the weekend were films, free time and a sing-along. The Dunedin
students were responsible for the Sunday morning holiness meeting and the Christchurch students led
a Sunday evening spiritual meeting. Of the fifteen students who attended the weekend, five later
became Salvation Army officers.

The next weekend seminar was held at Spencerville from 5 – 7 July 1963. The guest speaker
was the Rev George Armstrong MA, BD, an Anglican priest. The study booklet was the National
Council of Churches publication, What is our gospel? and Laurence Hay’s summary of the weekend’s
discussions was published in the initial issue of Battlepoint.63

In 1964 another well-attended house party was held at Spencerville from 26 – 28 June. Dr Max
Cresswell of Victoria University was the guest speaker and the basis of the study was the National
Council of Churches’ booklet God works. Of Cresswell’s visit, Brian McStay wrote that Cresswell

62 Photograph from the Brian Thompson Collection.
63 Laurence Hay, “Report of Christchurch branch SASF seminar, Spencerville, 5-7 July” Battlepoint,, 1, 1, (September
1963), 18 – 20.

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shared some insights into his doctoral studies in the UK “in his own inimical fashion.”64 Brian and
Beverley McStay organised this house party and Cyril and Nola Bradwell were house party parents.
Nola Bradwell and Wyn Luscombe looked after the catering.

This was the first SASF event that Helen May attended. She remembers late night walks on the
beach AND the absence of rules that she felt dominated the youth camps she had previously
attended.65

The 1965 Spencerville study ran on the weekend of 2 – 4 July and centred on studies of Jesus
Christ, his life and teaching led by Rev Don Wilson, chaplain at the University of Canterbury.

The last annual seminar weekend was held from 1 – 3 July 1966 at The Salvation Army’s new
conference centre at Glentui. The guest speaker was the Rev D. Jackson Inglis MA, Dip.Ed., BD,
then of Trinity Congregational Church, Christchurch. The theme was “Frontiers of theology”.
Delegates had all been asked to read beforehand Guide to the debate about God by David Jenkins.

Annual house parties for Wellington branch

When Major John Waite returned to Wellington in 1963, he introduced the Christchurch pattern of
weekend residential seminars to the revived Wellington SASF. The first weekend seminar for the
Wellington SASF branch was held from 2 – 4 August 1963, at Frederick Wallis House, an Anglican
conference centre in Lower Hutt.66 Fourteen people stayed for the full weekend, with seven others
including Commissioner Gilliard visiting for short periods. The study booklet What is our gospel?
was used to give insights into such topics as “Our gospel and the community” and “Expressing our
gospel”.67

Advertisement for the SASF seminar of 196468
The Wellington SASF held a second seminar at Wallis House from 28 – 30 August 1964. Billed
as a national seminar, Wellington SASF members were joined by Salvationist students from
Christchurch, Dunedin, Palmerston North, Taumaranui, Gisborne and Wellington.69 The conference
had two main studies, theology presented by Rev John Murray, chaplain of Victoria University of

64 Letter, McStay to Sampson, (1 January 2020).
65 Helen May, A mainly social SASF memoir 1960s-1970s, unpublished, 2020, 6.
66 The war cry, (New Zealand, 13 July 1963), 4.
67 The war cry, (New Zealand, 17 August 1963), 10.; Brian Thompson, “Wellington SASF Seminar, August”
Battlepoint, 1, 2, (December 1963), 19 – 21.
68 The war cry, (New Zealand, 22 August 1964), 6.
69 The war cry, (New Zealand, 30 May 1964), 8.

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Wellington and Christian social welfare presented by Major David Scott.70 In his report on the
weekend, Brian Bugden observed that ‘the discussions were helpful to me and provided a good basis
for further thought.’71

Wellington SASF 2nd Annual Wallis House Seminar, August 196472
In 1965 the third annual seminar of the Wellington SASF branch was held at Wallis House from
27 – 29 August with non-Salvation Army speakers and discussion periods on topical subjects.73
Twenty-nine students and graduates attended from North and South Island corps. Study leaders were
Bishop McKenzie of Wellington and Mr Noel Woods, Assistant Secretary of Labour. Discussion
topics included “World population problems”, “Religious tolerance” and “Christian values in an
affluent society”. Study group leaders were Wellington South Corps CSM Richard Sharp, Captain
Keith Hayes and Brian Thompson. An open forum was chaired by Major Waite, vice-chairman of the
NZ SASF and a devotional hour was conducted by Major David Scott.74 Ken Geard, who attended
Wallis House weekends from 1965 remembers the events for their “very good debates”, “a lot of
socialising” and walks through the nearby golf course. Geard also wrote a brief summary of the
presentations by the main speakers for Battlepoint.75

Wellington SASF 3rd Annual Wallis House Seminar, August 1965.76
Brian Bugden, Ken Geard, Cyril Bradwell, Edwin Whiteside, Laurence Hay, Harold Hill,

Clive Luscombe?, Rosemary Rowe (Aitken), Harold Harford.

70 The war cry, (New Zealand, 12 September 1964), 9.
71 Brian Bugden, “Wallis House Seminar” Battlepoint, 2, 1, (September 1964), 13 & 15.
72 The war cry, (New Zealand, 12 September 1964), 9.
73 The war cry, (New Zealand, 28 August 1965), 10.
74 The war cry, (New Zealand, 11 September 1965), 5.
75 Email, Geard to Sampson, (20 May 2020).; Ken Geard, “Wallis House Seminar”, Battlepoint, 3, 2, (December 1965),
19.
76 Courtesy of NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.

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Students and graduates from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch met at Wallis House in
August 1966 for another weekend seminar. There were four study sessions, an open forum, and a
variety of social activities. Guest speakers included anthropologist Dr Joan Metge (modern Maori
culture), Dr Graeme Ferguson (the God is dead debate), Rev John Murray (Catholic and Protestant
churches) and Father Ryan (the Catholic Church’s approach to ecumenism).77

No record has been found of a seminar in 1967 but in 1968, the Wallis House seminar was held
from 23 – 25 August. On this occasion, the main speakers were Kevin Clements (Religion in New
Zealand), Rev R Scott (The servant church) and Commissioner Bram Cook (Drug taking in New
Zealand and a critique of the new morality). Panel discussions canvassed such topics as “The role of
The Salvation Army in New Zealand” and “Professor Geering’s idea of a new religion”. A Battlepoint
report noted that “the entire weekend was held in an atmosphere of enjoyment, mirth and
relaxation.”78 The final annual seminar at Wallis House was held from 22 – 24 August 1969. Among
those taking part were Mr Noel Harrison (Wellington Polytechnic), Lt.Col. Noel Pauling and Captain
Brian McStay. An open forum on Saturday evening gave opportunity for attendees to present their
thoughts on the future of The Salvation Army and in a special departure, a break was taken during
Saturday so people could attend the wedding of SASF members, Donald Bugden and Denise
Harford.79

Wellington SASF Wallis House Seminar 196780
Back row: Unknown, John or Robert Howell, Harold Shepherd, Rosemary Rowe/Aitken, Lois
Bugden, Unknown, Robert Clarke, Lyn Hick, Unknown, Beverley Graham, Graham Cook, Unknown,

Margaret Hay, Laurence Hay, Roger Cresswell, Wendy Albiston.
Front row: Brian Bugden, Tom Aitken, Max Cresswell, Ken Geard, Rev John Murray, Brigadier

John Waite. Not appearing in photograph: Helen Bradwell.

77 Laurence Hay, “SASF report – Wallis House” Battlepoint,, 4, 2, (December 1966), 14.
78 “SASF report, Wallis House Seminar”, Battlepoint, 6, 2, (December 1968), 12.
79 1969 Seminar Brochure, NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.
80 Photograph courtesy of Helen May.

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Wellington capping reviews
The first Wellington SASF capping party in the 1960s was held on 10 May 1963 in the Newtown
School Assembly Hall where the following graduates were honoured: Major David Scott, DipSocSci
Alfred Harford, BCom, Rosemary Rowe, MA Hons, Ken Hayes, Dip Public Admin, Neil Elliott,
Accountancy, Anne Abel, BSc. The function was chaired by Colonel Dr Bram Cook and
Commissioner Gilliard conducted a spiritual epilogue.81

Graduates honoured at the 1963 Wellington SASF capping party82
In succeeding years, the Wellington SASF became noted for its annual capping reviews, for
which Max Cresswell was producer and main script-writer. These late-night reviews performed at
Newtown Primary School poked gentle fun at the Army as well as celebrating the academic success
of Salvationist students who had completed their studies and graduated. Admission was charged, a
printed programme supplied, and the evening concluded with supper. Several of these performances
were recorded and later released on long-play records. The titles of the reviews were: “You are old
father William” (1964), “Washday at the corps” (1965),83 “A pot of message” (1966) and “We all
live in a yellow tambourine” (1967). The reviews were well-attended, the 1965 review attracting
about 250 people.84

81 The war cry, (New Zealand, 25 May 1963), 9.
82 The war cry, (New Zealand, 25 May 1963), 9. From 1958 to 1965, the New Zealand War cry often published the
names of graduating Salvationist students around the time of the May university capping ceremonies.
83 This is a play on the title of a controversial pictorial booklet (Washday at the Pa) which had been prepared for New
Zealand schools but then later withdrawn, having been deemed racist and reinforcing of stereotypes of rural Maori life.
84 The war cry, (New Zealand, 30 April 1966), 10.

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Cast of Wellington SASF Capping Revue 196485
L-R: Brian Thompson, Roger Cresswell Alison Raethel, Max Cresswell, Wendy Albiston,

Henry Raethel, Harold Hill.

For some, music was written by Lyell Cresswell who later became a renowned New Zealand
composer. In remembering these times, Cresswell wrote:

We cobbled together a brass band one year and I wrote a kind of meditation (if that’s the word)
on tunes from ‘The Sound of Music’. I had fun with all the clichés of this kind of music. I also
wrote some brief piano variations on ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’, but I don't think there was too
much else, apart from a bit of spoof plainsong.86

Sadly, it seems that no scores for these compositions have survived.
Each review produced memorable moments. Brian McStay remembers that in one review, an

unmarried female soloist gave an amazing rendition of a well-known SA song belting out “I want a
man … I want a man … I want a mansion in the sky.”87 There was also Max Cresswell’s quip about
Commissioner Gilliard, describing him as: “The man with Quaker-like piety who’ll shout
‘Hallelujah!’ - and fool ya.”

Helen May did not attend the 1964 Wellington Review but listened to a recording played by
Max Cresswell at the 1964 Spencerville house party. May says she was “enthralled at such irreverence
to SA ritual, blown away by the daring and cleverness of the music [written by Lyell Cresswell] and
the skits performed by SA students from the ‘crème’ of SA families, and knowing that the hierarchy
of SA personnel had attended and cautiously laughed at themselves.”88

85 Courtesy of NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.
86 Email, Lyell Cresswell to Sampson, (24 February 2020).
87 Letter, McStay to Sampson, (1 January 2020).
88 May, A mainly social SASF memoir 1960s-1970s, 6.

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Report of 1965 Wellington SASF capping party and review89

Salvationist graduates at Wellington SASF capping celebration, 196590
Roger Cresswell, Max Cresswell, Brian Robb, Harold Harford, Unknown,

Harold Hill, Edwin Whiteside.

May 1965 capping party revue, “Washday at the corps”91
Unknown, Max Cresswell, Unknown, Lyell Cresswell, Brian Thompson.

89 The war cry, (New Zealand, 12 June 1965), 8.
90 Photograph courtesy of Brian Thompson Collection.
91 Photograph courtesy of Brian Thompson Collection.

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Wellington SASF capping review, 196692
Left: Laurence Hay and Harold Shepherd perform “I don’t want to be in your corps”

Right: Margaret Major (now Hay) performs “Next slide please”

The Wellington capping reviews were part of Denise Bugden’s upbringing and whetted her
appetite for the SASF. She remembers listening to the recordings when her father Harold and his
second wife Margaret were Salvation Army missionary teachers in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia). From
her father she learned that the SASF was a “vital and fun-loving group of like-minded students” who
were an important part of his life as he recovered from the death of his first wife Flora and worked to
gain tertiary qualifications for his eventual missionary service.93 Becoming a student herself in 1967,
Denise joined the Wellington SASF and looks back on those times “with warmth.”

Christchurch capping reviews

These were not as elaborate as those in Wellington but still served to recognise the academic
achievements of Salvationist students. The pattern of the capping party was to have some social
games interspersed with items and some ‘capping skits’, an elaborate supper and a formal presentation
of both university and teachers’ college graduates. There was a big demand for tickets, mostly from
Salvationists. The evening concluded with a spiritual epilogue. Helen May attended these reviews
initially with her parents from the early 1960s and comments that these “were more lively and
interesting than the traditional sedate Salvation Army social, including their dance in drag by male
performers. There were also humorous skits - not up to the standard of Max Cresswell’s [Wellington]
revues - but nevertheless of a kind not seen at SA socials. Tickets were highly sought after.” During
the evening there was acknowledgement of graduating SA students who were present in their their
academic finery.94

92 Photographs courtesy of Graham Cook Collection.
93 Email, Denise Bugden to Sampson, (21 February 2020).
94 Email, Helen May to Sampson, (27 Auguat 2020).

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The first, held on Friday 8 May 1959, was attended by Colonel Bramwell Cook, then chief
secretary who gave the spiritual epilogue. Colonel Cook attended again in 1960 when his son,
Bramwell Cook, MB, ChB together with Brian Thompson, BA were honoured. This second capping
event was held at Phillipstown School with a large attendance of students, friends and relatives.
Colonel Cook brought proceedings to a close with an epilogue.95

Further capping parties were held from 1961 to 1964 but by 1965 public interest was waning
and the final capping party was held in 1966.

Christchurch SASF capping party, 196196
Major John Waite, Margaret Major, Bramwell Cook, Lindsay Smith, Margaret Richardson,
Laurence Hay, Stuart Simpson, Ken Smeaton, Cyril Bradwell, Jim Fairbairn, Carolyn Suter, Clive

Luscombe.
The second and concluding part of this story will be published in the next issue

of The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history.

95 The war cry, (New Zealand, 11 June 1960), 4.
96 Courtesy of NZSA Heritage Centre & Archives.

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REQUEST FOR INFORMATION TO ASSIST WITH RESEARCH

The following researchers have asked for assistance from our readers. If you know of any
information or articles, have photographs, stories or artefacts, please contact them via their email
address as outlined below.

Garth Hentzschel – Theses, chapter of books and journal articles. For the continuation of the
‘Bibliography of Salvation Army Literature in English 1988 – Present’, Hentzschel is requesting any
information on theses, chapters of books and journal articles written about The Salvation Army.
Information on such works and possible copies of these documents, please contact Hentzschel at
[email protected]

Rob Kinnon-Brettle – Research into Salvationists who lost their lives in World War II (as a
consequence of the war). Kinnon-Brettle is looking for names, age, the date of death and any of the
circumstances of promotion to Glory of Salvationists during WWII. All information can be sent to
the research by email [email protected]

Gordon Lewis – Information on the Fry family. Lewis is writing a book, Listen to the Band about
the Fry family of Alderbury, Wiltshire who are noted as the first Salvation Army band towards the
end of 1878. Stories, photographs, and memories are all needed, including of Bertram Waterman Fry
who emigrated to Australia and attended Adelaide Corps. Bertram would become the father of Alfred
Narroway Fry who became an “infamous” Australian hero. Please contact Lewis at
[email protected]

A/Prof Daniel Reynaud – Information on Australian Salvationists in WW1. Ongoing research is
being conducted on the spirituality of the Anzacs. Should any reader have access to a diary or letters
of a Great War Salvationist in the AIF, Reynaud would like to read it/them. Please contact him at
[email protected]

Major Kingsley Sampson – The New Zealand Salvation Army’s Response to the Second
World War. The publication of Under Two Flags: the New Zealand Salvation Army’s response to
the First World War invites a sequel, about WW2. At this stage, Sampson is simply gathering
information about NZ Salvationists who enlisted in the Second World War, NZ SA chaplains who
served, Welfare Officers, Institutes in NZ military camps and service by both men and women in
the Army, Air Force and Navy both in New Zealand and overseas. He is also interested in hearing
about resources such as diaries, memorabilia, memoirs, photos or other suitable material that
relatives are willing to make available for this project. Please contact Sampson at
[email protected]

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020. Page 150