if. J ifi'r:*' mtmmmmmmi in hum—w—> FAMINE IN CHINA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17650, 10 December 1920, Page 8

if. J ifi'r:*' mtmmmmmmi in hum—w—> FAMINE IN CHINA.

PARENTS SELL THEIR CHILDREN. Conditions in China, lowing to famine, are graphically;' described; by Mr. John Falls, an Aucklandcr, who"; has - been '' attached to the China Inland Mission in the province of Shansi,' North.; China, for about twenty-five years. In a letter :to his brother, who resides in Auckland, _ Mr. Falls says:—"The famine in the provinces of Chili, Shantung,' and! North Honan if terrible. '- Over large tracts of country the people have had no harvest for a whole year—people ; who always 1 live from hand to mouth. / Even the scud grain hffl had to be eaten, and now that splendid rains have come and autumn • wheat can be planted they . have no seed to plant. • Ir order to, save , the ; lives; of -the children many paints are selling them for a men pittance—two or three dollars. This open! thejway' for unscrupulous, dealers to traffic in children. Just think, it will bo eighl months at least, even') In ;; Honan, ' before tho wheat that is now being sown can bi reaped! ; The; reports' are ; that 40,000,00( are involved, but' at -i moderate estimate some, 20,000,000 have rio food and wil need relief ; immediately. Many havo al ready died, and thousands ' have - had t< leave their homes and emigrate, : under tin hardest conditions/ to adjacent'; provinces To give a moderate ' measure of relief ti all the hungry it is estimated will tab £25,uuv,000, but a sum like that ;is no easily raised in a hurry. All the official in Shansi ; are assessing themselves,, ant our Governor alone has given £4500. | l'e king ;is . making: a " great; effort, ; and i tin whole foreign - community in tho; ports i: organising and giving liberally: : ; Very ex tensive relief works are being organised t ( provide work for the men. ;.