BELIEF FOR BELGIANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16121, 8 January 1916, Page 5

BELIEF FOR BELGIANS.

AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL FUND SUM OF £71,350 FORWARDED. * No- special appeal has been necessary to enable the Auckland Province to maintain ' its contributions towards the alleviation of distress in Beldam. Every month the Auckland Provincial Belgian Belief Association forwards £1325 to the Minister for Internal Affairs. The other provinces contribute the balance of a public donation of \ £5000 a month. This carries a £ for £ subsidy from the Government, which, with - a donation from the latter of another- '*"■ £5000, means that the Dominion is sending to London for Belgian relief a sum of £15,000 per month, or £180,000 per year. . Since the inception of this arrangement m April last the Auckland Belgian Relief Association has sent to the Minister for Internal Affairs £11,925, inclusive of the .December donation, which was sent on December 9, representing nine months' contributions. Prior to the Government agreeing to subsidise local contributions for Belgian relief the. association remitted to Sydney the sum of £42,500, which was included in the Australasian Fund. These two amounts, together with £5000 forwarded to the Belgian Orphan Fund and the Government subsidy of £11,925, makes the total amount paid from the Auckland ' Provincial Belgian Relief Fund £71,350. The Auckland contribution is made up from monthly donations received from a few citizens and several public bodies. Beyond that, however, there appear to be very few casual subscribers. The total amount subscribed to the Auckland fund is £71,878.