AN APPEAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2596, 19 October 1915, Page 3

AN APPEAL

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR BELGIUM AND SERBIA (To the Editor.) Sir, —How frequently has. it boen said and written that we Mew Zealanders arc prepared to give our last man and our last shilling to help bring about a successful ending to the cruel war now raging in nearly every corner of tho earth. Surely we must bo anticipating the war to last many, many years ?' It is certain Bolgium 1-as given up nearly all her possessions—men, womin, children, money, and territory—Uuder most cruel, dastardly conditions. God defend us from the like. Let us pray Bight and day, and give without delay men and money to save poor Serbia from the same treatment Germany dealt out to Belgium. Serbia will get some assistance from England, Prance, and Russia, but the chances of help from Italy, Greece, or Rumania are very doubtful, and probably will not be giver, till after her territory is .invaded and laid waste, her forces exhausted, and __Germany gloating over scenes of debauchery, outrage, and rapine, and this will probably be at a time (Christmas) when there should be "peace on earth, goodwill towards all men."

In view of , all this, and "the terrible sufferings in the world just now, how can we contemplate indulging in the ■usual Christmas pleasuring, holidaymaking, railway travelling, and amusements more or less of a convivial character, costing considerable sums, of money? To many it seems absolutely indecent, wrong in every sense of the word. Tho whole of New Zealand ought almost to be in a state of mourning. should try and realise what the Belgians are enduring, the sufferings of the women and children alone makes one almost cry out in agony, and now we are brought face to face with Serbia's needs, bad enough already, and likely to be ten thousand • times worse by Christmas. I appeal to the people of New Zealand just for once to give up their annual festivities, and hold in hand what they intended spending till arrangements are made to establish a fund to provide Belgium and Serbia the help so badly needed. Belgium has made another appeal; don't lot us wait for a. call from Serbia. I understand t'he Civil Servants and all Government employees are arranging to give—those receiving under £500 a year a sum equal to one month's pay, those over £300 a year two months' pay. The,.call is to be at the rate of one week's pay in each of the next four months, tho Government to be asked (where possible) to advance the full month and give a subsidy of pound for pound. A start made at once, and two substantial sums could be ready by Christmas. Will the Press, and. the of New Zealand .immediately take up. the matter—there is not much time to spare—and will you, Mr. Editor, with your customary promptitude, do all you consider best to make a big success of the undertaking p—l am, etc., GOVERNMENT WORKER. [Our correspondent's suggestion will, we are sure, make appeal to tho sympathies of all who have read of the terrible suffering of the people of tho two little countries which have fought so magnificently on. our side in this war. They need all the holp of every kind we can give them, and though we cannot do much we can at least contribute sonio--1 thing of the nature now proposed. We shall be glad to receive any contributions forwarded for the purpose stated.]