RURAL FRANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11594, 12 January 1916, Page 7

RURAL FRANCE.

DAMAGE DONE BY HUNS.

UEMEF WORK. STAHTED

LONDON. November 27. "The Times" prints the following from its correspondent in France:— The visit which, in company with Mr S. Kidner, chairman of the, Farmers' Club, Mr Colin Campbell, president of tho National Farmers' Union, and Mr Percy Hurd, I was privileged recently to pay to Champagne and Lorraine has left, indelible impressions on my mind. The object of our mission was to inquire into tho best means of helping the victims of the German invasion through the agency of the Agricultural R-elief of Allies Committee, instituted by the Royal Agricultural Society under the patronage- of tho King and presidency of the Duke of Portland. Wo were everywhere received with much courtesy and keen appreciation was expressed of the material and moral support given in this time of severe' trial. The French authorities, including the Department of. War, placed every facility at oiir disposal, and practical interest in our tour was shown by the Minister of Agriculture, M. David, who not only received us in Paris, but also deputed M. Guillon, Inspector-General of Agriculture, to accompany us throughout and render us assistance which was invaluable. We also had the aid of the prefects of each department and the resident agricultural officials. RUTHLESS DESTRUCTION. The destruction wrought by the invaders has been ruthless. The injury inflicted on rural pursuits is happily more.or less transient, but the damage done'to buildings, from the churches to the humblest cottages, is appalling. Village after village and towns of two and three thousand inhabitants have become masses of ruin; in ina-ny scarcely a house remains intact. This could not, except in a few instances, be justified as a military necessity. The evidence of the inhabitants rather suggests that it was tho outcome of a deliberate plan of wanton destruction and incendiarism regardless of the consequences to life and property. Mr Adoane described in "The Times" some weeks ago the ruin ni the Marne and Me use districts from. Rheims to Bar-le-Duci Much the same sad story must be told of tho wide area of which Nancy is the centre. Fortunately, this industrial city escaped the attentions of the iivraders, but a short journey to the south-east brings one again in touch with their work. Some of the villages only a few miles from the present line of battle are without a single inhabitant, while the broken bridges of Luncville, and the terrible spectacle of Gerbevjller, as well as the numerous orderly graves scattered' over the fields and forests, tell of the determined nature of the conflict and tho German lovo of wanton .destruction.

The fields show' the devastating work of the enemy less only because permanent injury is not so easil.y inflicted there and recuperation is quicker. This does not mean, however, that the industrious farmers and peasants of the areas from which the Germans were only expelled by the battle of the Marne and* the corresponding movements to the east have escaped serious losses. Their resources have been severely depleted. Nothing of value that lie had time to carrry away or to destroy was left by the enemy.

WORK OF REPLENISHING. The French Government did what was posssiblo to asssist in tho planting of the crops last winter and spring, but the full needs of the suffering communities could not be satisfied, and, following the precedent of 1870, the Royal Agricultural Society initiated the.present movement for supplementing the work of the Government of France and stimulating the indomitable perseverance of the peasants ami small farmers. Early in the spring the Society of Friends obtained" permission to help replenishing the denuded homesteads with machinery and implements, and their work in the Scrmaiso district ami elsewhere has been of the greatest importance. The Belief of Allies Committee sent several consignments of reapers and binders in time for the hay and corn harvests, and' these were followed by threshing machines, ploughs, cultivators, harrows and drills, several of which we saw in us.\ Some of the implements are of patterns new to those parts, and the strange design was regarded at first with some .suspicion. Necessity, however, is a. good educator, and a trial had. as a rule the happiest- results. The case of one of the ploughs, a light steel imploment, was related to us with interest. The recipient, a farmer of exceptional energy. %»n whose holding at Villers-aux-Vents the Crown Prince is said to have had his headquarters during the Marne battle—in a dug-out. which wo inspected-- stated that he did not like the look of the plough when it was delivered, and feared 1 it would' he too heavy. Experience, however, showed that he was wrong, and he was now so pleased with it- that he had ordered another of the same type. THE 81-; LIEF WORK.

The relief work of the committee has extended to gifts of seeds, animals and fowls. Large quantities of wheat have, been despatched, and are now being drilled in both the Aiarno mid 'Mouse valleys. The first consignment of farm Jinimals was .shipped in September, and consisted of sixty-one Southdown rams and a, number of large white .and .Berkshire boflrs. In the course of our travels we saw two of the pen of five shearling rams presented, by the King, and they appear to have taken kindly to their new quarters. As the gift of his Majesty ' they were cherished not. le-vs as pets than as animals of utility, being tended and \'od as probably sheep never were before m that part of the country.

The spirit and industry of tho stricken peasants are superb. There is no sign of depression or despair. They are resolved to buihl up again as quickly as possible, the agricultural structure which tho invaders destroyed. This munition can be realised onl.v with the help that a sympathetic Ally can give. The burden of the French peasant, and equally that of the Belgian.

is also the Inn-don of this country. which has escaped a similar faioinoreh on account of its geographical situation. The great resources of Franco will contribute liberally to the work of restoration, but they will be severely taxed to repair the da.mage done to buildin jrs. England <'an help in many ways, but in no way more, effectivoly than bv placing at tin* dl'-posiil of the Agricultural Relief of Allies Committee (10, Bedford Square, W.C',) funds, animals, produce or machinery for distribution us t!ie deva-'tated disiriefs are recovered from the enetnv.