THE BENGAL FAMINE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 245, 16 October 1943, Page 4

THE BENGAL FAMINE

yHE Rev. J. E. Jones, a missionary on furlough from Nadia, Bengal, India, in association with the Church Missionary Society, Wellington, is offering his-.services to those who desire to contribute towards the relief of the famine-stricken population ot Bengal. The cause of the famine and where the blame lies for the inadequacy of the food supply are questions which may be settled at leisure: the matter of urgency is the feeding of the people. While the Governmental agencies may be relied on to do all that lies within their power, a great deal will be required to be done which is beyond the ambit of the Government’s relief schemes. As the Rev. Jones remarks, the missionary societies throughout Bengal have a network of centres in many towns and villages, and the missionaries could do much to aid the suffering population provided the means are given them to do this work. Despite the many claims that fall upon people to-day the famine in Bengal is such a serious calamity that it cannot be ignored: it is in fact a great opportunity to show to the people of India that the interest of other parts of the Commonwealth in India is not exhausted when it learns the price, of jute and that a lively interest in the welfare of the people of India exists in New Zealand. The “Chronicle” is prepared to accept donations for the relief of famine distress in India and to see that such funds are paid to a responsible agency for that purpose.