SAVE-THE-CHILDREN FUND

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26201, 26 August 1950, Page 2

SAVE-THE-CHILDREN FUND

NEED FOR PARCELS “AS GREAT AS EVER” “You have all read in the newspapers from people returning from England that there is no need to continue to send food parcels to England or to sponsor English children.” said the chairman of the Christchurch branch of the Save-the-Children Fund (Miss M. G. Havelaar) at a meeting of the committee yesterday afternoon. •’This is not true. The need is still as great as ever.” Miss Havelaar said that she had received many letters from England asking that food parcels and sponsorships be continued. With increased taxation, winter conditions, and the possibility Of further rationing, parcels and sponsors were still required. Twenty-four more British children were still waiting for sponsors. “Although the war has been over five or six years, conditions in England are not normal,” she added. “There is much illness among the children and many are still suffering from the effects of war. Teams of workers who are working all over Europe are very much dreading the coming winter. They have a horrible feeling that war is again hanging over their heads.” Miss Havelaar urged that gifts be sent to these persons. In Germany there were three new children whose need for sponsorship was urgent. She spoke of two girls, aged four and five years, who were living in appalling conditions. Their father, who was taken prisoner by the Russians during the war, returned to Germany but died soon afterwards. “All sponsored children in Greece have now been classified,” said Miss Havelaar. “If sponsors of these children would care t write to me I will be only too glad to tel] them their child s classification.” Miss Havelaar said that in the last letter she had received from Dr. Saraglon the hope had been expressed that the rumours be had heard about New Zealand Christmas parcels for children in Greece would come true. “Conditions in Italy really seem to be getting rapidly worse.” Miss Havelaar said. A representative of the fund who visited a foundling home near Rome recently reported that she had found 140 children of all ages just sitting. They had no toys to piay with, nothing to amuse them, and thev had no hope of ever leaving the institution. Miss Havelaar urged all persons interested in the welfare of children to continue with their sponsorships overseas and to send in as many Christmas parcels as possible. These would have to be posted before the second week in September to ensure their delivery in time for Christmas