Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1916. STARVING BELGIANS AND NELSON LOCAL BODIES.

Nelson Evening Mail, 21 July 1916, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1916. STARVING BELGIANS AND NELSON LOCAL BODIES.

THE noble response now beiiifr made by tlie children in the Nelson Educational District in connection with the relief of starving Belgian?, recalls the debt which British'* people owe to the inhabitants of stricken Belgium, who in the first, days of the war held back the invading Germans till the others coukl prepare an effective defence. Owing- to (lie calls of other war funds the needs of'the Belgians have been to an extent overlooked, but Nelson is reminded of its,duty by tlie receipt of a communication from tlie Under-Secretary of the Department of Internal Affairs who. in a telegram to the Rev. J. H. MacKenzie, states that there is a shortage of £214 in the July quota of the Xc'snn di.-i trict's contribution towards Belgian relief. It may be remembered that the Government decided to assist the Belgian Fund to the extent of £SOOO a month, and to subsidise contributions by local bodies by £ for £ up to another £SOOO monthly. All local bodies in ;he Dominion were circularised in regard to the matter, but. if we remember rightly, the Waimea County Council was the only one in the Nelson district to resolve to contribute a fixed monthly sum. This, on a population basis, worked out at aoout £54. and the Council lias kept up its payments, including that due for. July. The City Council, when it discussed the circular. decided that it would make a monthly contribution

•■provided all other local bodies did so." and that is the last heard of the matter. This week's cable news shows that urgent need still exists for the Belgians. The International Belgian Relief Committee, following on a letter from a Belgian politician, describing conditions in Belgium' admits that serious food riots have taken place, and that in some parts the Commission's rations are insufficient to support life. We are further told that German soldiers occasionally seized food, but that the authorities made restitution whenever complaints were made. The Commission states that 2.000.000 are wholly and 500,C00 partially dependent on the Commission, and that 3.500.000 are able to purchase the Commission's ra tious. Apparently then thv arrangements made by the Commission to ensure that food sent for the relief of the Belgians is consumed by them and not by the Germans, is working satisfactorily, and there need be no apprehension that contributions for the Belgians will not reach the proper destination. For almost two years Belgium has been under the iron heel of the ruthless Germans, and the story of t'ho people who have suffered so appallingly from the carrying out to the limit of the German policy of

- ' -will live as ]<jng as the word exists. Should it not, then, be a privilege, as well as a duty to in some measure show our appreciation of the heroic Belgians' hold-up of cue Germans in the memorable days of August, ""Ol'l, by assisting to feed the millions who are starving? We trust that the telegram referred to will lead to the City Council reconsidering its decision. Is there a .single ratepayer who would raise a word in protest against an appropriation for such a worthy purpose as the relief of starving Belgians? The amount required from the City would be less than that contributed by the Wairnea County, and would, of course. be a liability extending only till the termination of the war. The Coimci would have, the unanimous backing of the .peope in making a payment from the rates for the purpose indicated, while such an action would, further, remove what is at present something of a reproach—a reproach that will exist so long as the people of the city fall behind their neighbours in the country 'n assisting in a. small measure to alleviate the sufferings of the people of Belgium. The country is doins its share, the. children of the nelson district have made

.i jiuiipuiiri'iit response lo iho rail for help, will not lb.' City Council and such other local bodies of the district i> have not yet derided to contribute, follow the good example? Nelson poinds wifjt pride to the fact, (hat she always fills her quota of men for the Reinforcements, but the Mayor, in his speech at the opening.of Paddy's -Market, emphasised that Nelson had not made nearly so liberal provision for her sine and wounded soldiers as other parts of the Dominion had done, and urged tb=it the people should rectify this by giving genorously. Now we are told that wo, are behindhand in our quota, for the highly deserving Belgian' cause, n.rul it i.\ only neces.sai-y for the City Council an-J the other local bodies of the district m Inch have not contributed, to act to make good the deficiency.