BELGIAN ORPHANS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 119, 6 February 1918, Page 3

BELGIAN ORPHANS

DYING OF HUNGER AND DISEASE. Through the Belgian Consulate, the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, C.M.G.) has received an appeal for help for the Belgian Orphans' Fnnd. The writer states: "From inquiries mado of the Belgian Consul in Auckland, I have been informed that the Dominion Belgian Belief Fund, Auckland, some time ago forwarded the sum of £5000 to King Albert's Orphans' Fund, and that in all probability they will contribute a sum of £500 to £1000 out of the fund to the appeal just received from the orphans, In the circumstances, therefore, I would suggest that the Dominion Belgian Relief Fund, Wellington, which, I understand, has a considerable sum of money in hand, should contribute something to this appeal."

A circular explaining the purpose of the fund states": "In the provinces of Belgium now held by the enemy there are some thousands of little orphan children who must be succoured at ouce. To-day they a.re dying of hunger and disease. With the coming winter their plight will be even more terrible. . . . Arrangements have been ed into with the excellent society the 'Oeuvre Nationale des Orphelins de la Guerre,' Brussels, to secure a personal

supervision of each child. The gift of 6d. a day is needed for each one of them, and the name, the address, and if possible the photograph, of the litila Belgian sufforer will he sent to you. The' Belgian Orphansj Fund is officially approved by the British Government. It is administered without cost by honorary workers. Every day and all daylong you see bright, happy, and healthy boys and girls. But picture those others in the land of death and hunger living under the great terror"; Poor little orphan mites—who can keep the sixpence and .let one of them die? In this time of death we can all buy a life for 6d. a day till the end cf ths war." The Mayor is communicating witfi his co-trustees in reference to the application for assistance from the Dominion Belgian Relief Fund.