BELGIAN ORPHANS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 50, 28 August 1922, Page 3

BELGIAN ORPHANS

£35,000 FROM NEW ZEALAND

SIR J. ALLEN AT MEMORIAL

OPENING.

(IRON OCI OWR COMIIPONMMT.)

LONDON, 13th July. ' Sir James Allen went over to Belgium last week-end to attend Hie celebrations in connection with the official opening of the Agricultural and, Horticultural School and Homes. This institution has been founded by the Belgian Orphan' Fund—with which the Friends of Belgium, Society is amalgamated^-at.. Monti St. Guibert, hear Waterloo, and £23,000 contributed by New Zealanderg, during the war is being used in conjunction with other subscriptions.,' to establish the schools and carry on the work. 'The homes and schools' are situated in a beautiful estate of about 100 acres, which contains, besides the necessary school buildings, a "chateau seigneurial," the freehold of which belongs to the Orphan Fund. .'■'■■ - • ■

A large .company oi persons interested in the work was present, including Cardinal Mercier, Monsieur, Jaspar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mon. Pollet (founder of the Belgian Orphan Fund), and Madame Pollet, Mr.': J. R. Marsh (founder of the Friends of Belgium Society and hbn.. secretary,; of the fund), Mr. 13. R. Morris (hon. treasurer), Mone. Maquet, (Director-General de I'Oeurrq Nationalede l'Enfance), and Mons. Raemaker. ; Australia, New, Zealand, .and Canada1 were represented. Mona. Pollet stated' that 6;P00,000 francs had been subscribed chiefly by English-speaking peoples, and particularly generous donations/had been received from New Zealand, Canada, and Australia; Cardinal Mercier paid a tribute to the generous hospitality shown by Britain, and said he hoped the orphans provided ; for by the fund would become good patriots and good Christians. ■ . ■ ■■ -. •' ■ '..' ,'*'■■..•■ :.

Sir; James Allen said he was tare that the representatives for Canada and Australia would join with him in congratulating the directors of the fund on the. possession of this beautiful buUiding and these, spacious grounds for the! orphans of their dolsiers. They would also Wish him to extend their "sympathy to the people of Belgium for their great losses during the war. Speaking for his own country, they had sent away to the war 10j>er cent, of their, population, and their losses were great and their orphans -were many. But in spite of their losses, the hearts of the people of New Zealand ■were* not so full that they had. no room for' appreciation of what Belgium had suffered, especially during the early stages of the war. ? ..' high commissioner's Bug- ■;. •-■ ■::.;. gbstion. ■•':, ■' "We have given visible expression pl> bur sympathy in your losses," Sir James oohtinned. "During./ the / last few, months I have paid over to your fund more than £23,000 for this school; and another £5000 to the King Albert Fund. We are anxious that you should realise that this sympathy of ours is not the sympathy of a day. i We wish'you to remember us as we remember you. I would suggest, in order that this mutual sympathy may remain and in order that the help given by New Zealand, Canada, and Australia, shonld be remembered, that a certain number of children in the Bchobl should be designated specifically as being maintained by the citizens of New Zealand, Canada, or Australia. With' the, interest on the £23,000 :ao many children could be maintained as New Zealand scholars. The same with the other Dominions. In ■ this way we should know that we are not being forgotten: . From time to time you could let rs Know how our proteges are progressing." ■.'■■' '. .' ■■ -,:•/ ' : ■' "■• •.-

On the walls of the room in which the assembly : took place was the English motto: "A friend in need is a friend indeed." The High Commissioner point; ed to this and concluded: "Wet'have been your friends1 in your need; we' Want to oe your friends in the fntnre."

The Belgian . Ambassador displayed great interest in Sir James Allen's speech and suggestion, and obtained a written statement for publication in the Belgian newspapera. '■■''".';■•■: :''''■. .■ .' ,''