The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1915.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3871, 6 March 1915, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1915.

The recent further appeal on behalf

A Scheme to Further Aid the Belgians.

of the ruined Belgian people is, it is pleasing to record, meeting with a stirring response. How much has already been subscribed altogether throughout this Dominion with this very deserving object, in view it is impossible to say offhand, but it amounts to a very considerable sum, and it is certain that, without ny great effort, much more will be done to aid such a worthy cause. As it so happens, the people of this country—or, for that matter, any other country —have, it must be agreed, never before been called upon to take part in such a good work as that, and it comes as no surprise that they are leaving no stone unturned in order that they may do their full share in connection with the appeal. One of the most gratifying features with reference to the response is not alone that donations are being made by all sections of the community, but that the donors in so many instances are giving not once or twice to the funds, but, in many instances, have resolved to make donations at stated periods until the need for further help passes. In the case of this town and district, it has air ready made a very creditable aggregate donation towards tho general funds. The special fund which is being raised by subscribers to this journal for instance, has now alone reached over £2500. What we desire to empliasise is, however, that, in our opinion, a further combined effort should now again be made to swell this district’s contributions in aid of the relief of the gallant Belgian people. No matter how much we might try, we do not feel, we may say, that , we could advance any stronger argument in support of the appeal in this regard than what has boon officially stated is the dire position in which the people of Belgium, through no fault cf their own, find themselves to-day, ' One and all of our readers, wo feel, appreciate just as keenly as we ourselves do what a great ancl unparalleled sacrifice tho now impoverished Belgians are making in the cause of civilisation and, by so doing, Belgium alone has suffered, whereas {Britain, France and .Russia but particularly. France—have been made the gainers. What

we think was perhaps the most striking aspect of this tremendous sacrifice on the part of Belgium was that it must have been made with tho full knowledge that, no matter how glorious might be tho ultimate victory of right over might, her people were bound, if they resisted the Germans, to be afflicted with the worst terrors of war. If King Albert and his army had desired to take up a selfish and unrighteous attitude they might have withdrawn into, say, Holland, and taken it for granted that if Germany lad won she would, by way of reward, iave re-granted Belgium some form of national independence, whilst- if Bi.itlin and her allies were victorious—and no one outside Germany, Austria and Turkey can have any doubt that they arc determined to ho triumphant—Belgium might have reasonably anticipated that after the struggle she would again .be allowed to remain as a buffer State. But Belgium, as is well known, preferred to be true to herself, and the record of the desperate manner in which she set about to help Britain and her allies by endeavoring to urevent Germany making a right-of-way to France of her territory will ever be one ol the brightest pages of history. How big a penalty Belgium is having to pay for her courageous and very proper action may bo judged from the facts and figures oublishcd in a recent official communique, which shows that practically tno majority of her population is reduced to the point of having to rely on supplies of foodstuffs from outside their own much-devastated territory. ,■„ will have been noted that it is estimated that Belgium could do with 075,000 of relief per month from Australia and Xew Zealand alone, and we arc glad to see that, throughout the Colonies, a determined effort is being made to provide a fitting answer to the appeal. There need lie no fear, it is mm known, that Germany will in any wav gain anything as a result of contributions towards the succouring of me Belgians, seeing that, at the hands or a. neutral Commission, the funds are to lie converted into foodstuffs and clothing outside Belgium for presentation to this mncli-aJTlicted people. And v 1 at is more, the Commission has reeon ed a guarantee that no requisition for such commodities will be made by the Germans on that portion of the unhappy Belgian people who are still residing in the zone which is under occupation by the enemy. As far as tins district is concerned, what, we ti mk, should now be considered is the .lest means of raising a further substantial amount for the relief of the Belgians without delay. In any event, we feel confident that subscriptions towards this journal’s special fund and other similar local funds will continue to be made. The combined efforts that have been put forth locally with a similar object in view have, it is true, hern very gratifying, but, if we may be permitted to say so, they have hardly been on a sufficiently extensive scale. Where a special list is taken hound, it is impossible to locate everybody who would be prepared to assist and. in the case of a one-day fete, the result, although as satisfactory as the circumstances could permit, would assuredly be ever so much greater if the appeal extended over say a week. As a case in point, Timaru, we note, hopes as a sequel to the “Queen Carnival’' which it is holding, to net at least another £3OOO or £IOOO for its Belgian Relief Fund, which already runs into many thousands of pounds. If any such .scheme with this very deserving object in view were decided upon locally. we feel certain that it would be a greater financial success than some people may imagine and would, at the same time, prove very interesting and very exciting to the residents not only of Gisborne, but also to those on 'the Coast and of tlie inland townships.