BELGIAN REFUGEES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LXXIV, Issue 3408, 23 February 1915, Page 2

BELGIAN REFUGEES.

ARRIVAL BY MATATUA. Wellington, February 22

Ten refugees from Belgium are among tbe crew of tbe Shaw, Savill? and Albion Company's steamer Mata tua, which arrived yesterday morning. It is believed that they are tbe firqt from that afflicted country to reach New Zealand. •'When the refugees joined tbe ship," stated tbe navigating officer of the Matatua yesterday "their condition was pitiable, as they had only tbe clothes they stood in," Some were present at tbe fall of Namur and Brussels, and a recital by them of the German atrocities was pimply horrible. One of the deck boys who passed through the siege of Antwerp relates in quaint English his first experience during the bombard., tnent of that city by Zeppelins. "Eefc was like ze carnival. Everybody get out of beet in dere tail shirt, and rush about street like dey was mad, looking for shelter." After tbe fall of Ant' werp, and during the house to house looting, this boy, along with his father and mother, was taken prisoner, and his sister was shot before his eyes, the brave girl preferring death to dishonour This boy was ra_e to carry tbe German flag ant-ad of the troops during their march through 'the city, but night coming on he managed to escape during the confusion and darkness. After many adventures he finally reached Holland, where he was sent along with many others, finding there a refuge and a welcome,

THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN. London, Feb. 21 The "Daily Mail's" correspondent with the Russian armies states that 175,000 Russians in East Prussia have retired in good order before 400,000 Germans. There has baen heavy rearguard fighting during the retreat. • The intention is concen tration in the Augustwo forest region, where they so heavily slaughtered the Germans earlier in the campaign. ANOTHER ATTACK ON WARSAW.

The Germans are concentrating towards N&vogeorgavik to assail War* saw from the we3t and north or to cut the railways, whereon Warsaw depends.