RELIEF IN WESTERN THRACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18857, 9 May 1923, Page 10

RELIEF IN WESTERN THRACE

AN APPEAL TO NEW ZEALAND.

MR H. W. H. SAMS AS ADMINISTRATOR. ,

(From Odr Own Correspondent.) LONDON, March 22.

Mr H. W. H. Sams (Christchurch) has been appointed administrator for the Save the Children Fund in Western Thrace, and sailed for the Balkans this - week. It will be remembered that Mr Sams orginally took up relief work in 1921. when be went to Poland to look after the transport for the British Relief Committee. Later he worked in the famine areas of Russia. A month ago he returned, to Poland, but after three weeks he received a telegram from the Save the Children Fund headquarters asking him to take up the position in the Greek territory. The representatives of the League of Nations have been doing work among the .refugees in this part of southern Europe since -last November. The Greek Government Has sgt aside certain areas and is 'supplying building material and farm implements, and by the end of July it is hoped to have the 10,700 refugees settled on the land. ' In the meantime, however, there is a (lack of food and a great deal of suffering in consequence. The League of Nations has no funds available for providing food, and the Save the Children Fund has come to its assistance and has undertaken the feeding of the refugees until the end of July, when the food crops should be available

, It will take over £IB,OOO to carry out the work, and an appeal signed by the British Prime Minister and other prominent men has been issued by the All-British Appeal Committee. The Save the Children Dtind has asked if New Zealand will undertake to collect £BOOO or part thereof for feeding the children. As the British and American relief work in Russia will shortly be coming to an end the official organisation will be in a position to devote attention to those who have suffered by the disturbances in the Near East. Sir James Allen has sent a cablegram to the New Zealand Government to ; day setting forth the scheme, which has his approval, especially as the expenditure of the money will come under the supervision of a New Zealander, who is able, as in the past, to make reports direct to the High Commissioner.

Mr Sams will make his headquarters at Gumnldjima, which is also the headquarters of the Governor of Western Thrace, and of the League of Nations’ representative. The system of feeding will be by means of public kitchens, where both children and adults will be able to obtain food to cat on the premises. This method is found to obviate any abuse of the charity.