Relief Plans For Starving Indians

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30976, 4 February 1966, Page 12

Relief Plans For Starving Indians

The plight of millions of people in India facing death by starvation because the crops have failed will be the main concern of the Canterbury branch of C.0.R.5.0. this year.

Working from headquarters located in an old but spacious hall in Barbadoes street, 35 hard-core volunteers will plan and carry out an aid programme aimed at helping to stave off the worst effects of the famine.

The assistant organiser of C.0.R.5.0. in Christchurch (Mrs J. Ritchie) yesterday described the call for help from India as one of the most tragic the New Zealandfounded relief organisation had received in its 21 years' existence.

She said the main effort in Christchurch would be to collect and parcel up hundreds of tins of milk powder, considered the most effective type of food in combatting starvation. U.N. Agencies The goods sent to India would be distributed through United Nations agencies and reliable institutions located in the worst-hit areas. The branch would also continue supporting other relief activities throughout Southeast Asia and the Middle East, she said. Since January 17 when the centre reopened after the holidays, C.0.R.5.0. workers have prepared and packed 3170 garments for distribution among destitute people in Korea and Algeria. Mrs Ritchie said that by the end of this month 125 bales of clothing would be sent to Korea. She said the branch wanted to match or improve on last year’s record of 500 bales of clothing, made up of more than 200,000 garments. Of these at least 5000 had to be cleaned and repaired before being sent overseas. Record Donation Mrs Ritchie emphasised that, while there was always a heavy demand for used clothing, C.0.R.5.0. would not send away dirty garments. She stressed that contributors would help the work by ensuring that clothing was as clean as possible. Last year the people of Canterbury and the West Coast made a record cash gift of £51,755, an increase of £9071 on the previous year This represented a per capita contribution of 2s 5d and a " mily contribution of 8s lid. The highest individual con-

tributions came from the Wellington - Nelson - Marlborough area of 3s Bd, and the lowest—ls 8d —from the Waikato. Mrs Ritchie said school children were among the best workers for C.0.R.5.0. and many had shown expert ingenuity in raising money for the annual appeal. All money given to C.0.R.5.0. was scrupulously accounted for and sent to the national headquarters in Wellington. . Wide Uses

It was put to wide uses in under - developed areas through the United Nations services, F.A.0., UNESCO., and by 'the organisers of the Freedom From Hunger Campaign.

The money had helped set up milk factories, hospitals, farms, supplied seeds, fertilisers, sheep and cattle, enabled wells to be dug and boats to be delivered to places where flooding was a severe hazard. C.0.R.5.0. had its origin before the end of the last war when New Zealand soldiers returning home told how the destitute people of Greece had risked their lives and given what little possessions they had to save them from the Germans. The organisation immediately began a reciprocal aid programme which has since spread its influence across half the world.