DEVASTATED BELGIUM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16842, 28 April 1915, Page 10

DEVASTATED BELGIUM.

PLIGHT OF THE PEOPLE

URGENT HELP REQUIRED.

By Telegraph—Preps Association —Copyright. LONDON, April 26. Tho National Committee for Relief in Belgium is appealing for £500,000 per month to keep body and soul together among the utterly destitute. Hoover Francqui, chairman of the commission in Brussels, writes: “Unless we get more assistance hundreds of thousands of the seven million people in Belgium will starve. “ At least a million and a half Belgians are now entirely destitute. With ' the rapid exhaustion of meat and vegetable supplies, probably before harvest time there will be 2,500,000 who must be fed and clothed entirely from charity. The remaining 4,500,000 will get a pitiful daily allowance of bread through the commision, and pay therefor.”

A NATIONAL FUND.

INAUGURATED BY THE KING. (Received April 2". 10.55 p.m.) LONDON, April 27. The King has inaugurated a national fund for Belgian relief. He has given £SOO.