The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1900. THE INDIAN FAMINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 93, 25 April 1900, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1900. THE INDIAN FAMINE.

r At length the principal centres in the colony axe being aroused to the fact [ that the teeming millions of our Indian Empire are in the throes of one of those ; dire periodical famines that play such dreadful havoc with the petty labourers and labouring classes in the villages M Affected by a failure of food supply. It , is just three weeks since we called attention to the risk that the excitei ment attendant on the war and pestilence would oust from view that other dreadful scourge of the human race, until the gaunt Spectre had already emaciated and destroyed millions of our fellow men in India. In the interval that has elapsed the inevitable has happened. After excruciating sufferings, which could have been relieved by timely help, thousands of living skeletons have died from want of food, and fires are burning day and night to cremate what is left of the bodies of those who, but a short while since, were full of life and vigour. Are there any that can contemplate such a scene of misery and woe and remain unmoved ? We think not, and therefore have every confidence that the urgent appeal now being made for contributions to the relief fund opened by the Mayor will be heartily responded to. It is within everyone's power to save from starvation one or more of the famine-stricken population. As we pointed out on April 4th, one week's average earnings of an English mechanic would suifice to keep one of the peasants for at least four months, so that a mere trifle out of the weekly wage would accomplish the same humane object, Let only one of our own neighbours be lost in the bush and die of starvation, there is at once a mighty wave of sympathy and sorrow lor one unfortunate victim of circumstances, and the horrible nature of his sufferings call forth thatnatural kindrtd feeling which emanates from the divine part of our constitution. How much the more, then, should we be moved by the spectacle of thousands daily dying from lack of food, of orphans picked up from beside their dead parents, of millions who have parted with all their worldly possessions (many of which are as greatly cherished as some of our own treasures) and become, through no fault of their own, beggars for the mere necessaries of life and as far as possible keeping body and soul together on cattle food ? '1 he vast proportions of the area affected and of the population afflicted seems almost bewildering—--445,000 square miles inhabited by over sixty millions. Such numbtrs, while apparently defying the possibility of adequate help, should excite the keennest compassion. Previous similar occurrences have taught the authoii- ' ties how to grapple with the ] calamity, and all that is needed is ] money. There need be no fear that a i single penny contributed will go astray, > for even pence will do good woik. So ; conscientiously scrupulous are the al- ( owners of these life-saving donations i that in the report of the audit of the > :und administered on the hist occasion ( in the Fyabad district is to bo found j -;he statement that the total receipts, i increased by annas four on account of a returned cheque book, amounted to c Jt5.17,3G7-9-6. India is somewhat' J afar off, but the piteous cry for help ' from millions of starving fellowcreatures rings in our earn, mingled i with the wail of the dying and the fc .sobs of the orphans. The recent mag- l cificent response towards helping the C Mother Country jn the time of need for the. maintenance of the Empire, y,

proved that the colonies hare lost none of the finest instincts which are the pride of ths Englishspeaking race. The present ,is an opportunity for showing that the best trait of all in the national character is still in evidence and ready to be exercised on behalf of the afflicted subjects of the Empress of India—our beloved Queen. (Jive, and give quickly, for every day means life or death to large numbers. We are glad to see that a good start has been made in the other provinces, and it will be a lasting shame if Xaranaki fails with a fitting measure of timely help.