OLD WORLD POOR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 52, 17 October 1914, Page 2

OLD WORLD POOR.

HELP FOR UNITED KINGDOM AND BELGIUM.

BTRATFORD OFFERS ITS HcLP.

A public meeting was held in the Borough Council .Chambers last night for the purpose of deciding what steps should be taken to organise in conrteo Ition with the fund for the rsliax of the poor of the United Kingdom :tr.d B>%ium. The Mayor, who had convened the meeting, presided, and Mr R. W. ShaJlcrass, oi Wellington, kocretary of the' Sports Protection .League, was present, he being at pjeseiifc on an organising tour in "onnectio'i with tho»lund.

In opening tho meeting the Mayor said that the funds subscribed would bo properly administered. Ij> l’> the present, however, nothing of a joint nature hud boon done. As president of the Acclimatisiaiion Soc *.iy he had called'that body together, and it had made a contribution, and otbei bodies had done similarly; but iviir.t was needed was son'o effort organised to work with tho Wellington movement. He had circularised the dairy factories of the district notifying them of the meeting that night. The t aidiff company replied that as ,* -o district. had already sent contributions to tho Belgian fund it would not need to be represented at the meetun. The Mayor then read letters from Mr J. McAllister. wishing the movement ever, success, from Mr C. H. Lawn, offering to repeat the pone sit recently given by the Methodist Choir in aid of the fund, and from Mr C. I). Solo, on be! a lf of the No-license League, enclosing a cheque for £6 Is, proceeds of Mr Snowden’s meeting on Wednesday. Mr Shallcrass said Europe was at present engaged in a war of unprecedented magnitude. Happily he had been born and bred in Now Zeihiad; but everyone knew that in tr.e countries of the Old World there was a great deal of distress among the poor under normal conditions, and it could easily bo imagined how tho distress would increase in a time of war. In addition to domestic distmss, Hntain was being used as n refuge by crowds of people from Belgium a country no larger than the M ellington and Taranaki provinces, which for two months had been fighting the greatest military force in the wo-M’s history. In the Old World they wore just entering on the winter, which would make the condition of those rendered destitute more distressful; and in these favored isles— the rf!infall wns pood, tlio cows coming on nicely, ond everything promising well it Imhoved residents to consider whet sacrifices they could make to, help those rendered destitute by the war.* Tim movement he (the speaker) was introducing, had started in Canterbury with a suggestion to send a ship-load of produce for the poor of Great Britain and Ireland, but in view of the Belgians’ gallant fight it had boon decided to include them in the movement. The funds m hand in Christchurch totalled over £14,000. In Dunedin, ladies had raised £GOO for the fund by tho sale of flowers in the -streets. He had attended a meeting in Masterton tho other night, |when 600 sheep were promised. At I Gisborne it was hoped to provide 10,000 sheep, two donors having already promised 1000 sheep each. In Wanganui thorn was about £I3OO in hand and in Patea a committee was working hard. At Hawera last night there was a unique demonstration, which, reminded the “Star”' of the /demonstrations in connection with the South African war. The fund was 'ro he a gift from the whole of New Zealand to tho poor of Great Britain, Ireland and Belgium, and would be administered by the executive of tin Prince of Wales’ Fund in conjunction with the New Zealand High Commissoner. Tire speaker suggested that the hands of the British Government would be strengthened by keeping the people of Great Britain well fed and contented. A Government was influenced by the feeling of the people, and the British Government would be weakened more easily than otherwise by trouble with discontented, miserable people. Equally, Germany’s chief troubles would be internal ones. All New Zealanders could not go to the wai- or send a son, which would be tho biggest sacrifices which could be made; but it certainly behoved citizens to make what sacrifices they could in order to secure peace and freedom in tho future.

Mr N. J. King said he was sure the people of Stratford town and district would subscribe liberally to the fund.

Mr J. B. Kichards moved: "That this meeting is in accord with tho movement placed before it, and recognises tho desirability of providing funds for the poor of the United Kingdom and Belgium ; and that those present form themselves into a committee, with an executive of seven, to push forward tho movement."

Mr G. N. Curtis seconded. He said the Belgians had rendered excellent service in holding back the Germans temporarily. The motion was carried. The General Committee therefore consists at present of the following gentlemen; Messrs N. J. King, C. D. Solo, R. FL Robinson, J. Masters, W. Lander, H. Good, J. McMillan, J. F. McDonald, R. G. Christophers, R. Evans, F, N, Fuesell, J. B. Richards, D. S. Glasgow, W. J. Loversedge, H. Wilson, S. M. Porritt, A. W. Bodge, F. Dunlop and G. N. Curtis.

Tho following; executive committee was appointed: Messrs (3. N. Cmtis,

W. Lander, J. McAllister, J. Masters, A. Yv. Budge, and S. M. Porrilt. the executive to elect a seven uh member later. MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. At a subsequent meeting of the executive committee, Mr Curtis was elected chairman and Mr P. Skoglund secretary. Mr H. Wilson was appointed to complete the membership of the committee. The offer of the Methodist Choir to repeat their concert for the fund was accepted with thanks.—Mr Masters said the Methodist choir and orchestra was not a small body, and had the help of a good number of talented citizens. It was decided to ask the young ladies of the town to help tiro fund by hold a Flower .Day on Saturday, October 24th—selling buttonholes in the streets. The Municipal Band is to',be asked to give a concert in King Edward Park on some Sunday afternoon at an early date. The next meeting of the executive was fixed for Wednesday next, when subscription-lists will he distributed. SUBSCRIPTION OPENED. A subscription was opened in ti c room, and the following amounts were handed in:—

£ d. X. J. King ... 3 0 0 J. McMillan '2 2 0 J Fredric ... 2 2 0 H Wilson r t 0 0 F. J. McDonald ... 1 1 0 i'. N. FusseD ... 3 3 0 W Lander ... 1 1 (J A. W. Budge ... 5 0 0 TI. Good ... 2 0 0 J. B. Richards ... 2 0 0 W J. Leversedge ... ... 1 1. 0 G. N. Curtis ... 15 0 0 1). Glasgow ... ... 10 0 0 R, Evans 10 6 *v -License League ... 6 1 0 J. Masters ... 10 0 0 S. M. Porritt ... 2 2 0 w P. Kirkwood ... ... 10 0 0 p. Skoglund ... 1 1 0