DRAMATIC APPEAL

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 79, 27 December 1928, Page 8

DRAMATIC APPEAL

BY PRINCE OF WALES ON BEHALF OF SUFFERERS ON COALFIELDS DARK PICTURE OF CONDITIONS . IN “BLACK BELT” (■United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) (Rec. December 26, 9 p.m.) London, December 25. While England was making merry over Christmas to-night, the Prince of Wales made a dramatic radio appeal on behalf of millions of sufferers on the coalfields. . The Prince painted a dark picture of the conditions in the “black belt” of unemployment. He told of ragged children, hopeless mothers, of fathers who had once been intelligent workers reduced to idleness and misery. He then made a personal appeal to all listeners. “Before I go from you to-night.” speaking with deep earnestness, “I make one practical suggestion. It is that no Christmas gathering break up without a concrete effort to muster help.” The result of the appeal is still unknown, but cheques are already beginning to come in to the Lord Mayor of London.

The Prince arrived in evening dress, escorted by a few officials of the radio company. 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.”