AVAR HORTICULTURAL RELIEF FUND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1797, 5 March 1918, Page 3

AVAR HORTICULTURAL RELIEF FUND.

(To the Editor.) Sir. —I venture to ask for the courtesy of your space to draw attention to the work of the above Fund. We have all been so intent on winning: the war, and, if not actually fighting, have been so immersed in various kinds of work which conduce to that end, that we have had little time for considering the great work of reconstruction that awaits us when the war is over and peace has been declared. That there will be a prodigious work to be done is a fact which admits of no shadow of doubt. One special part of this work which I now write to draw attention to, will be the restoration to life and fertility of the thousands of ruined and devasated orchards, gardens, and nurseries of our Allies —the French, the Serbs, the Poles, the Belgians, the Roumanians, the Italians —and so enabling their peasant propria-} tors to resume their aforetime accustomed mode of livelihood. Tim sacrifices that these people have been called upon to make have been incomparably greater than our own, and made in the same great cause. We have now, however, the opportunity; of repaying, to some extent, the debt of gratitude and sympathy Avhich we owe them. Moreover, in so doing, we shall he assisting lo a new prosperity the nations which we hope to sec arise out of the present turmoil, and shall be helping to lay the foundations of a new international sympathy, confidence and peace. It is believed that these objects can he effectively assisted by the timely supply and distribution to the victims of Hun bar.barity, 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 be grappled with the moment peace permits. The War Horticultural Relief Fund, Avitlj the King and Queen as Patrons, is now devoting itself to collecting throughout the Empire funds io ho used in the manner indicated, A strong Administrative Committee in Condon is making all the preparations which present circumstances permit, for starting work at tho earliest possible moment. Something, indeed, has already been done.

It is confidently hoped that the appeal of this Fund will meet with special sympathy and support in New Zealand. As a country we have suffered less, materially, on account of the Avar than almost any other country —belligerent or neutral — and avg have achieved, as it was right we should, a proud pre-emin-ence in the generosity of our gifts to Avar charities. But the needs to he met by the War Horticultural Relief Fund are so crying and insistnt that a further appeal is uoav made Avith the utmost confidence; and it is hoped to give every individual in the Dominion the opportunity of subscribing to the Fund. Offers of help will he gladly received, and further information' supplied. Donations may also he forwarded (cheques crossed “Union Bank of Australia, Auckland”) to E. MAYFIELD, Lieut.-Colonei. Representative of the Avar Horticultural. Relief Fund in New • Zealand. Tauranga, 28/2/18.