HOMELESS BELGIANS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13516, 20 October 1914, Page 5

HOMELESS BELGIANS.

ENOLAND TO CARE FOR

RE'FCGEES

OOMMrrTEE I^iEPARED TO XX

OEIVE A .MILLION IF NECESSARY.

»•_. , LONDON, 'Sopi. 10 bixty thousand Belgian refugee.- me expected to arrive i/ England m thJ JS" H 1 ay T Blit '«ff Government nil- tc^ a y a- general invitation- to all Belgians made homeless through the war to come to England, and the °volunteer comnntteo organised by tho Duchess ot Vendomo has undertaken, with Government supervision, to care for these lefugeos. l'ostmastor-UeneraJ Herbert bamuel was loudly cheered m 'the House S, V o^!? 1^ ; when he referred to tlio fact i x -B-f;" 81 ! hospitality had be ?n extend-S,h^-M le BeJ 8 i f ns - He'aaid th»t the committee was m touch \yith 3600 Belgians now on the way to England, and that thousands of homeless persons at Alahnes, Louvain, Liege, and olsewlu-ve m Belgium, who could not bewared lor by theu- own Government, must seek temporary refuge m Britain. Lord Hugh Cecil, chairman of the exooutive of the '" War Refugees Committee, and Lady Lugard, m active charge of the care of the. fugitives, have Already arranged for the organisation of oomhutt^Bes m 52>towns and cities, where tho refugees will be sent from London, lho •comuuttee wdJl also care for the refugees from Russia, Fivahce, and other allied couiitnes.

£ ] x temporary depots 'have been established m London, whelooyer 5000 Belgians will be >cared for until they arc placed m the homes of charitable Jinglish lamilies. Hom«s -have already been offered for 10,000 Belgians, and tiic eoninmteo is arram/nig. to *enti rctugacs direct irOin u'oJu'esLoue to Bu-m.iiglutia, Liverpool, aua .uUiei- cities, .wiwm-« jviiigu awaits them, and mo people oi '-un t-lusbCb aio tiiger i-o iiu.a' oiic-m uuinlui-t-' ablo.

Scotch end Welsh tOAV-n» aie especiuiJ} anxious to ontcruuii the Beiyuns, urn* Ihe'comnutiuu. IjolUives. iv cun music provision. for a million loiiigeos n weesaiiyy. ' t&thitary conditions and luck ul ipod m the Belgian tamory iouglit uvui and a. 'probable, attack on -.antwerp ml. doubtless nia'ko it necessary for hundtedt .of- thousands of woweu aiid children t-c leave -that country. The . British Government is provjd'.njj special boats to Uattsnd lor thy- purpusv of transporting tho people us rapiuly a* they gather mere. Vvomeu and children arc given the preference, bui uia-uy men unlit tor military service will ulao be transferred, to Br;ii&n territory, and wt.ii iatei- roturn -to Belgium. ihe rei'Ugeo depota arc filled with. Belgium* ol all classes, rich and pooi, dviyeu out by the war and temporarily boiu# gavou for here. , Priests from the ruined cities often bring scores' of women and children from their parishes, and sisters come. with Jairge' numbers of girl pupils, who havo been unable to got away from the destroyed convents to Uieir homos. Fow of the refugees havo any baggage, and their unrainiliarity with tne English language makes it necessary for a large corps of volunteer workers anu interpreters, to meet all trains for protectiy© purposes, , The . JPV'f nch and Russian Ambassadors and the ' Belgian. Minister are acting «s. atlvisers to the committee. H'hile the* Russian,- French, and Belgian Consuls are assisting . m the collection of food, clothing, a'qcl relief funds.