CORRESPONDENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 October 1918, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

WAR HORTICULTURAL RELIEF FUND.

(To the Editor), J Sir, —I venture to ask for the com • w ; tesy of your space to draw attention t : the work of the above Fund. w Wo have all been so intent on wiunin ! the war, and, if not actually ligld | jug, have been so immerscu in variou | kinds of work which conduce to thn j end that we have had little time fo j considering the great work of recon | struetion that awaits us when tho wa i is over and peace has been declared • That there will be a prodigious wor] ! to be done is a fact which admits * j Jl ° shadow of doubt. One special p I :°f this work, which I now write t ; draw attention to, will he the rostoratiu; jto life and fertility of the thousand! ► | of ruined anti devastated orchards, S ! gardens, and nurseries of our Allies—- ; the Frcuch, the Serbs the Poles, the Bel j gians, the Roumanians, th Italian,, and so enabling their peasant proprietj ors to resume their aforetime accusj tomed mode of livelihood. The sacr. j flees that these peoples have been called j upon to make have been incomparably I creator than our own, and made in the 1 same great cause. j We have now, however the opportunI ity of repaying to some extent the debt of gratitude and sympathy which we owe them. Moreover, in so doing i we shall be assisting .to a new prosperity, the nations which we hope t: • see arise out of the present Turmo : 1 and shall be helping to lay the foundai tions of a new, internationational sym- : pathy, confidence and peace. It is.be- ' lieved that these objects can be effectively assisted bv the timely supply and distributions to the victims of Hun barbarity, of seeds, plants, trees, cuttings, implements and tools, accompanied by expert advice and horticultural education. The scope for this work is appallingly great and the situation must bo grappled with the moment peace permits. The War Horticultural 'Relief Fuud, with tho King and Queen as Patrons, is now devoting itself to collecting throughout the Einpire, funds to be used in the manner indicated . A strong Administrative Committee in London is making all the preparations which present circumstances permit, for starting work at the earliest possible moment. Something, indeed, has already been done. It is confidently hoped that the appeal of the Fund will meet with special sympathy and support in New Zealand. As a country we have suffered less, materially, on account of the war than almost any other country—belligerent or neutral—and we have achieved, a>it was right we should, a proud preeminence in the generosity of our gifts to war charities. But the needs to he met by the !Vnr Horticultural Relief Fund are so crying and insistent thal a further appeal is now made with tin utmost confidence; and it is hoped to give every individual in tho Dominion the opportunity of subscribing to the Fund. Offers of help will he gladly received and further information supplied. Donations may so be forwarded (cheques crossed “Union Bank of Australia, Auckland”) to (sgd.) T. MAYFIELD. Lieut.-Colonel. Representative of the War Horticul- ; tural Relief Fund, in New Zealand, Tauranga.