BELGIAN RELIEF.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14048, 19 July 1916, Page 3

BELGIAN RELIEF.

STATEMENT FROM RELIEF . * COMMITTEE. (Australian and N.Z.Scable Association.) (Received July 19, 12.40 p.i_) LONDON, July 18. 'the Belgian Relief Committee considered the Belgian politician's letter', 1 cabled yesterday; The Commission admits that serious; riots are occurring. The population, m some parts declare that the Commission's rations, are msiifficient, to support life. The difficulties Of distribution are not diminished. KpUand m the past three months 1 has prohibited the' export of potatoes, which the Commission does not supply owing to deterioration on the Atlantic voy.age. A new agreement arranged by Spain and America with . the belligerents s_ed that the. Belgians would retain their own potato and sugar crops and cattle. Since tlie new agreement the •Germans have not seized- cattle. OccasionaUy German soldiers seized food, but the authorities make restitution whenever complaints are made. The Commission states that two million people wholly, and one and a-half million fjartially, are dependent:- on the Commission. Three and a-half ( million are able to purchase the Commission's rations. In Jpite of the grim tragedy of the war, with its appalling daily list of casualties (says Mr. Arthur' Meyer m the Gaulois) there is much gaiety m Paris. He deolares that the women are responsible for this. As soon as a soldier returns from the front to rest a few days, he is taken m hand by an entertainment committee, and given all the pleasure that they are capable of imparting. "And why not be gay? Poor fellows, > they may never see their homes again,' so let them have a good time while they are m "Gay Paree," This is the attitude of the persons who are nOt m the trenches, towards the re-/ turning soldiers," says M. Meyer. "Fear of death is becoming almost unknown ( m France, but the certainty of death ] is generally admitted, and the nation i seems to be determined that its soldiers 1 shall' get all available mirth out of what life remains to theni." i