CHURCH ARMY "SAVE THE CHILDREN" FUND.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 193, 13 August 1920, Page 7

CHURCH ARMY "SAVE THE CHILDREN" FUND.

(To the Editor.* Sir, —The Church Army commenced in England in 1875 to help the poor in body and soul, and last year £450,000 was spent by it on this social work. The C.A. began in New Zealand In 1010, and since then has received €841 for London poor; £700 of it for Christmas dinners. A more pressing need exists now. Children- are dying of starvation in the I devastated parts of Europe. A "Save the I Children Fund" is opened at the Mansion House, Church Army, and elsewhere; already hundreds of thousands of pounds have been sent. The Imperial Government subsidises £ for £. The Lord Mayor of London writes: "Words fail to describe the acute misery of children in Asia Minor and Armenia. The i I funds at our disposal are all spent. Child I j life in these regions is a life of starvaI tion and hopeless agony. Will you help to afford these thousands of little ones something of food and clothing for their poor emaciated bodies?" Lady Muriel Pajiet, working in Czeeho-Klovakia, says: "In one district of CO.OOO people there is only one doctor. Children do not attend school—no clothes and too J hungry to learn. Grass is used as a j vegetable, tfread is made from straw, bran and wood." Mr. Hoover says: "There are a million underfed children in Poland. 1 commend to Englishspeaking people the starving children. Three and a-hnlf million will die in Central Europe if not provided with milk. This will have to be done by private charities." New Zealand has not felt the pinch of war, and even prospered during its continuance. We have many obligations, but could deny ourselves luxuries for the sake of these poor little ones; ami their mothers, too, who can /hardly obtain the bare necessaries ot' life and keep body and soul together. Since July "21 the Churcb Army secretary has received many Conations, and small, and sent the first £100 to (.'.A. headquarters on August 11. On arrival 'I it will gain the Go\*Tnment subsidy of ;I ~ , for £. Any contribution, or the ''result of acts of self-denial, however 'Ismail, will be thankfully received by

V. W. WHITELEV, Hon. Sec Church Army in X.Z. Ormond, Hawke's Bay.