PRINCE'S PLEA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 306, 27 December 1928, Page 7

PRINCE'S PLEA.

HELP FOR WORKLESS.

Appeal By Radio While Britain

Makes Merry.

GRATIFYING RESPONSE.

(Australian Press Assn.—United Service.)

(Received 11.30 a.m.)

LONDON, December 26.

While England was making merry over Christmas last night the Prince of Wales made a dramatic appeal by radio on -behalf ,of the 1,000,000 sufferers on the coalfields of Wales.

The Prince painted a dark picture of the conditions in the "black belt" of unemployment. He told of ragged children and hopeless mothers, and of fathers who once had been intelligent workers, but who now were reduced to idleness and misery.

"There are a quarter of a million workless miners," said the Prince, "with three times as many dependants, who have been without wages for months. Because this distress is concentrated in districts which seemingly are remote, do not let us think, at this time of the year, of taking the line of least resistance and put it out of mind and out of sight.

"I imp}ore you to think what long anxiety and fear they have undergone in seeing the only trade they know slipping away from them, the spectre of want creeping ever nearer, then actual privation and, lastly, helpless distress and starvation."

He then made a personal appeal to all listeners. "Before Igo from you to-night," he said, speaking in deep earnestness, "may I make one practical suggestion? It is that no Christmas gathering shall break up without a concrete effort to muster help."

The result of the Prince's appeal is still unknown, but cheques are already beginning to come in as contributions to the Lord Mayor's fund.

The Prince arrived at the wireless studio in evening dress. He was escorted by a few officials of the Radio Broadcasting Corporation. He said: "I wish you all a very happy Christmas evening. I do not appear in the nature of a wet blanket, but I do ask you to think for a moment of the sufferers."

«In response to the Prince's appeal Lady Houston has given £30,000, and Lord Rothermere £25,000. The Government is gjving the Lord Mayor's fund an equivalent sum.