WAR HORTICULTURAL RELIEF FUND

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 41, 12 November 1918, Page 7

WAR HORTICULTURAL RELIEF FUND

— » —- REPRESENTATIVE IN WELLING- ■' ' . TON. Lieutennnt-Colonel E. M.ayfield, of Tniiranga, was in Wellington yesterday on nil important mission, of which the 'pul>lic will hear a good deal in the immediate future. Lieutenant-Colonel Mayfield, who has been at Homo during the past three years, beenme much interested in a society called tho War Horticultural Koliof Society, .(for which he has been appointed the New Zealand representative), which has for its object the restoring, from a horticultural point of view, tho countries of our Allies which have been devastated by tho cruel hand of war. Everywhere ruthless destruction of crops,- orchards, and gardens has meant desolation of a kind that,staggers tho mind. On their retreat from Franco orders wero given to tho Hun soldiery to destroy every fruit tree, ravage every vineyard, and in every possible way to obliterate the slightest prospect of that which might give forth food for tho people. Whilst England, and her Allies have had to beat the foe info tho dust, there have been those at Home who have given much time to the colossal task of reconstruction—of supplying seed and plants that will in a year or two make the battlefields of yesterday,-livo again for • tho benefit of'the .emancipated peoples so grievously affected.'

It is Colonel Mayfield's duty, as representative of this organisation, to place before New/ Zcalandcrs facts and figures proving (if proof were necessary) tho urgency of the appeal, and to claim the assistance of everyone in the work of reconstructing pastures, gardens, orchards, and vineyards, where the blood of nations has been spilt in Ihe maddest orgy of war the world has ever known.

A New Zealand branch; of the War Horticultural Relief Society has already been formed, with His Excellency the Governor-Gen6rnl as patron,- the Primo Minister as president, and members of the Ministry, the Bench and Ear, and leading citizens as vice-presidents. Just now committees are being formed in the various centres for the purpose of raising funds for the work ahead, and there is little doubt that such a movement will meet with a liberal and whole-hearted response from those who have been fortunate enough to escape tho horrors of war in a personal sense.