BRITISH AND BELGIAN BABIES RELIEF FUND.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13873, 15 September 1915, Page 6

BRITISH AND BELGIAN BABIES RELIEF FUND.

A PATHETIC LETTER FROM

ENGLAND

Miss Ethel M. Deck, Motueka, .writes :— ~ ■ ■

Our second contribution, consisting of 693 garments, has been shipped by the s.s. Timaru to Lady French, for distribution among the wives and widows of our brave soldiers and sailors who are fighting or who have fallen in the war. This makes altogether 1101 garments from the women and girls of Motueka and surrounding districts, in a little over four months. In addition to this we have isent over 300 garments and £5 in cash to Mrs. Melland for distribution among the poor of Liverpool and Manchester. While I consider we have every reason to be proud of-our efforts up-to the. present, we must not allow'them to relax, but. must endeavour to, if possible,.do even more than we have done, as the number of sufferers mujst increase and and their trials be intensified by the severity of the winter just beginning at Home. Since the case of clothes left, about three. weeks ago, the work for the third shipment has been progressing satisfactorily, and we shall soon have enough garments to fill up another case. We have received two splendid parcels from Mrs. Hanron (who has interested the ladies of Stanley Brook in the work), containing 117 articles of beautifully made clothing, also a parcel of 20 garments forwarded by Mrs. Winter from the ladies of Ana timo,.-. .Golden Bay. I wish to correct a wrong impression which appears to exist, that the garments are meant for Belgian children only. Such is not the case; they are for the babies of our own soldiers and sailors and of the Belgian refugees who happen to be in the maternity hospitals at Home. The distribution of the garments is in the hands of Lady French, and we may rest "atesured that only deserving cases reoeive them. Itwould be interesting if some of the donors would occasionally attach a little note, giving their full name and address, with a view to getting an acknowledgment- from those who benefit by their kindness. I enclose a copy of a letter received by Mrs. Hudson acknowledging the first draft >of £2, which pleaise publish. The letter enclosed is as follows:— " 'Kia Ora,' Hale, Cheshire, July sth, 1915. Dear Mrs. Hudson.—l thank you so much for your letter of May 17th, enclosing £2; also thank you ever so much f»r bundles of baby clothes which are coming. I know, you will excuse my writing more just now. Last r.ighti I had a wire telling me that my darling and only son had been killed in Flandens—shot by a sniper—and I am heartbroken. I shall, I hope, be able to write you later; and the distributing of the clothes will be good for me. Believe me, yours very truly, Katherine A. Melland."

When sending the money and the bundles, Mrs. Hudson especially mentioned that all were from the women and girls of Motueka district, and no doubt in her trouble Mrs. Melland overlooked this fact.—E.M.D.