REPATRIATED.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17702, 31 January 1918, Page 9

REPATRIATED.

HELPLESS AND HOPELESS VICTIMS OF TEUTONS RUSHED HOME. PARIS, November 10. They are comibg back to France, the aged men, old women and young children who ivere caught in the net of the Teuton onrush, and for three years have been within the enemy’s lines. Every day an average of 1000 non-pro-ductive French people are now being sent back by the German authorities. Collected from all* the occupied districts, they are bundled off to Syvitzeiv land, Yvlicre no time is lost in getting them to the border, and they enter France* through the gateway of the repatriates. Evian les Bains. it is the only port of home-coming for these wretched people who have suttered every description of privation, fallen the victims or all diseases, and now,, being so many useless, months, to feed, are no longer of any value, to the invader- * There is no instinct of humanity or philanthropy in the German programme. “So many less, for me to support; so many more for France to sustain,” runs liis reasoning. There are; no young or middle-aged men or women among these repatriates, the German sees to that, but France opens her arms to her suffering children and makes them feel that they are welcome without distinction. One thousand repatriates are returning through Evian everyday, some to seek what were once their homes hut which are norv heaps of small particles of stone, brick and plaster; holes filled with ashes, broken glass and china, rusty iron rods and bedsprings. And not all those who return can yet bo sent to these ruined one time homes. BAC%IN FRANCE, BUT HOMELESS. In one morning there arrived 210 men, 500 men and 160 children. Almost all of them were from the neighbourhood of Laon and Saint Quentin. Although the French offensive of this week penetrated Yvithin six miles of Laon and Saint Quentin has been within sight of the French lines for some time, these people could not be sent home as yet. and were forYv&rded to the south of France, where they will remain until after the Germans have been thrown out of the two regions mentioned. Another party came from the mining regions near Lens, and they too must yvait before returning home. The most: distressing feature, however, of the return of these repatriates is their physical condition. Some are so feeble that they are carried from the train in which they arrived at tha Swiss frontier on stretchers and taken directly to temporary hospitals. Out- cf one trainload of 500 persons, sixty children yvere immediately taken to a der tention hospital and more than 100 old persons to a permanent hospital, from which probably some will never emerge alive. , . One entire family who came iron) a coalmining centre of Lens yvere suffering from skin trouble, due to conditions in which they were compelled to live yvhile in the German line's. Othe'-s bore the unmistakable signs of tuberculosis, also contracted in the course of the privations and sufferings to Yvhich they had been subjected. CARING FOR WRETCHED REFUGEES.

To care for these wretched refugees Evian has been turned into a great hospital centre. Many of the hotels, a few of the villas and even a, .former Capuchin convent are being utilised for this purpose. The work is in - charge of the French Repatriates Aid Society. A hospital for tuberculosis cases has been established high up in the mountains. Tliere is a separate refuge lor children who may show tubercular tendencies. The American Red Cross is at work preparing a hospital at Evian tor acuta maladies, while another hospital is given up entirely to those sufteiing from skin diseases. . . ... Ln the Casino ot Evian the work oi caring for the future of these unio. - tunates goes on, in which the nulitaiv and civil authorities co-opcratc. Emplovment is secured for those who are, capable of performing manual labour, while those unable to work and vet not wea k as to need medical treatment are sent to the south of France, where ’tlit'v have opportunity to regain their strength. In the Casino there is also an organisation which endeavours to put the refugees in communication with relatives and friends who may ocwiiling to provide for them. Vot all of the refugees are wholly without means, though these are largely in the shape oi paper money issued bv their home towns, which they have retained. This money is being purchased by the Breach Government m order to provide the refugees with a supply of currency that will pass anywhere in France.