AN URGENT APPEAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 149, 24 June 1908, Page 8

AN URGENT APPEAL.

(To the Editor.) . Dqar Sir, —The intense cold of the last few days has been a.source of discomfort to those who enjoy reasonably iavburable conditions of life,. but... for the really poor it has been a time of positive hardship. Because of the extraordinary commercial and industrial activities and unusual general prosperity we are fortunate in having an exceptionally small percentage of poverty-stricken ones, but the comparative feiv -who are in the thralls experience all the sorrows, and hardships.

Our hearts have acßed during the present winter at the privations of delicate women and little children, some of whom are brought into their unfortunate position by illness and misfortune; but what arouses our indignation is that drunkenness so frequently brings the children to suffering, and women to the daily crucifixion of decency and every womanly instinct, -which makes a martyrdom worse, than death —a martyrdom resulting from an "institution" in a Christian country. "0 God, how long?"

We recently had to assist in hiding several children from their father, -whose neglect and violence had impoverished, and terrified them to a shocking degree, and at the same time we also had to make temporary provision for their pressing needs. Another house -which we have visited was recently the scsne of such a turmoil as almost to lead to serious bloodshed, due to the husband and father having been in a condition of prolonged and quarrelsome drunkenness. Yet he was a. kind, gentle man when he managed to keep a>way from the liquor bars. In another home, where the husband had died lately as the result of excessive drinking, we have had the pleasure of meeting the immediate pressing needs of food and clothing of the widow and children. The lot of the widow and fatherless is always pitiful, especially when accompanied by acute want, but that is vastly better than the home being shared by a father who would eat the whole of the scanty food supply, and whose approach is a signal of terro And yet such conditions must continue until a Christian conscience intervenes, In the interval, we urge those who have sympathy and pity to supply us ■with the means of lightening the burden of those mentioned herein and others who are enduring similar martyrdom, and some others again who are confronted with the direst poverty from other pauses, The women are weak and cold, the children are hungry, and it is winter time. Money, food, clothing, fuel, etc., are needed, "will those -who will help please communicate with the Treasurer of our Social Funds, Mr H. E. Pacey, c/o New Zealand Dairy Association, Ltd., Wellesley-street, Auckland. Thanking you in anticipation for your kindness in assisting us by inserting this letter,—Yours truly, SISTER KENNETH, SISTER ESTHER For the Auckland Methodist Mission.