HELP FOR THE BELGIANS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15542, 30 December 1914, Page 11

HELP FOR THE BELGIANS.

+■ : BELGIUM RELIEF FTJA T D. SOUTH CANTEEBTTEY BEANCH. Chairman, E. R. Guinness (Mayor o. " Timaru); vice-chairman, H. Hun-ter-Weston, Glen-iti; hon. treasurer, .!.•. -Maling . Strathalian Street, Timaru; liob. secretary, H. H. Fraser, Alliance. Buildings, Timaru. Executive Committee, Messrs G. S. Cray, A. S. Elworthv, P. A. Elworthy, A. Hope, R." HunterWeston, J.. Maling,-J. P. Murpliv. R- H. Bliodes, J. Black, N. Francis. GENERAL COMMITTEE. __ Timaru.—Rev. Archdeacon Jacob, Very Rev. Dean Tubman, Messrs G. S. Cray, A. S. Elworthv, H. Elworthy, P. A. Elworthv - : "W. Evans, E. R. Guinness, J. E. Hutchinson, A. Hope, R, HunteiWeston, Hugh Lowry, J: Maling, J. P. Murphy, J. P. Newman, L. O'Callaghan, C. N. OrheU. R. L. OrbeU, W. Priest, E. H. Reid. R. H. Rhodes, P. J. Rolleston, El C. ,■ Studholme, T. Teschemaker, C. H. , Tripp, B. H. Tripp. Temuka.—H. H. Hayhurst (Mavor) W. P. Evans, G. W. Armitage,* D. Grant, T. Gunnion. Geraldine.—Mrs C. M. Burdon, J. : Kennedy (Mayor) J. Connolly, ' P. ; R. Flatman, K. Mackenzie, J. ' Tripp. Pleasant Point.—Dr. C. A. Paterson, J. Crawford, Bruce Garriek Fairlie.—P. R. Gillingham, 'R. Leitch, J. S. Rutherford, R. L. Banks, W. Black. Cave.—T.'D. Burnett, A. E. Kerr, W. Ritchie, H. Fenn. , St. Andrews.—Rev. C Brady, R. ! Catherwood, G. Lyall. Waimate.—J. Black (Mayor), S. L Fitch, Dr. Hayes, N. M. Orbell, W. G. Paul, Norton Francis, H. Ruddenklau, E. C. Studholme. J. H. White, Mesdames Adams, Orbell, Black, and Francis. The response to the Christmas appeal has enabled the local committee to forward another £2500 to the Central Committee in Christchurch, and £lO,000 has been cabled Home by that com. mittee as a Canterbury Christmas contribution, for equal division between the poor of Great Britain and our distressed Allies in Belgium. The response from the generous people of South Canterbury has been prompt and satisfactory, and the only disturbing feature is that a large part of the money has been obtained from a small section of cur community, whilst a number of people in Timaru from whom it was hoped support would be obtained, have so far with-held that support. From an analysis of the recent contributions it is found that a total of £1992 0s lid has been contributed in response to the committee's Christmas appeal and is made up as follows: £. s. d. First personal contributions from 105 Tininru residents 273 4 6 Add. subscriptions from 34 Timaru residents who had subscribed previously ... '272 16 0 From various Timaru clubs, schools, companies and \ miscellaneous collections 631 1 0 From country committees and residents, including various countn-^Sjohojaili-and miscellaneous ~ collections Sl-i 19 5 Total : 1992 011 The total fund now amounts to £7551 3s Id, of which £4807 Is lid has been obtained from country iubscriptions, etc., and £2683 lis 2d from Timaru contributions. The Timaru total is made up of 295 personal subscriptions amounting to £1671 15s od, and £lOll 15s 9d from various collections and donations made by Timaru clubs, companies, schools, etc. Taking the population of South Canterbury between the Waitaki river and Orari as 36,000, the average contribution amounts to 4s 2d per head. Allowing for the value of clothing contributed by the ladies of South Canterbury (say £2500) and £261 subscribed in South Canterbury for the children's Christmas Fund, the average contribution for the district is 5s 9d per head. As only 295 personal subscriptions have been donated by Timaru residents it is evident that a large number of well-to-do people have not yet fully recognised their proper responsibility in this matter, and at the risk of being charged with importunity the committee urge all v;}io have not already contributed to this fund to at once; accept their responsibility as citizens of Timaru, and to forward such financial help as they are able to give. The individual effort should be ■ worthy of the great necessity of our" Allies; and to be satisfactory to the donor ought to involve considerable self-sacrifice, for this is a duty based on gratitude, and is not a common charity. Recent Press advicss confirm the extreme hardships which are beinc faced heroically by the civil population of Belgium who have remained in their own country, and the pathetic accounts concerning the distress of the refugees who have sought shelter in England and Holland make it quite clear that the committee must continue its duties and appeal for further financial assistance, i. Apart from the needs of the poor of Great Britain and the Belgian refugees in England and Holland a sum of £BO,OOO per week is required to meet the bare necessities of life for the people of Belgium alone, and when it is . remembered that ' the area of that country is 2000 square miles less thanthe area of Canterbury, and that the population "prior to the war was seven times greater than the total" population ~ of New Zealand, we are helped to some rough idea of the concentrated misery of the Belgium people, and the magnitude of the task which it is our honour and duty to share. <\Ve also need to remember that it is due to the Belgian assistance at the commencement of the war that our wealth and peace has remained undisturbed in Now Zealand. It is evident that under ■existing conditions the task of .beating back the German armv is straining the united force of France, Britain and Belgium, and it is quite oliear that but for the heroic and single-handed resistance made by the Belgians in the- earliest Stages' of tho~ war the present difficulties which the Allied armies are facing would have been vastly greater and might have involved failure and defeat. ..Wki lß * our kinsfolk and our brave Alkes are making sublime sacrifices there remains to most of us in New Zealand the small .. duty of giving financial: help in relief of distress and poverty and although we are removed by 13,000 miles from that distress, the distance cannot stifle the pathetic appeals of those who need assistance nor relieve us from a full share of ouf responsibihty. SELF RESPECT COMMON GRATITUDE, NATIONAL PRIDE, AND A DUE CONCEPTION OF A .CITIZEN'S DUTIES ALL COMBINE TO DEMAND AND EN± COURAGE EVERY GENEROUS IMT H os E WHO ARE WILLING TO HELP IN THTS GREAT AND NOBLE PURPOSE In a wealthy district like this we ought to be able to raise ait -least another two thousand pounds before closing the subscription lists, and-if there are any persons who are *o withered by selfishness that they -will not fulfil their share of this duty, it '.'■■-.

SOME DONT'S. Don't say you cannot afford to help. If necessary' make some personal sacrifice—practice some self denial and send your contribution gladly. Don't say that you contributed your share to the Patriotic War Fund. That was a duty to your own interests and to the Empire. This is your duty to suffering humanity and to the brave Allies who have helped you, whilst involving their own ruin. : Don't, say that sufficient relief is - forthcoming from other places. It , isn't. The needs are enormous and , you ought to accept vour share of the duty of meeting those needs. Remember that £2OOO wili shelter and support families (say 250 people) for a whole year. Subscriptions mav be forwarded' to the treasurer of the fund, Mr J Maling, c.o. Guinness and . LeCren! Limited, Timaru, and will be acknowledged in the local newspapers. If more convenient, subscribers may pav their contributions to any member of the committee. I