A BELGIAN VISITOR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 16, 19 May 1915, Page 4

A BELGIAN VISITOR.

Major do Martin, of the Belgian Army, who is visiting New Zealand, speaking at a function in Christchurch the other day, prophesied that things would really commence to move about June ‘JU. Military men would sympathise with him when he said that he had volunteered for service in the Belgian army when tlie war commenced, hut had not been accepted :•£ he he was over the age limit. All classes in Belgium, from the mon- j archy to the Socialists, were united i in this, war. All political differences, had been sunk. Only one-sixth of Belgium was left in Belgian hands now, j and her industries were ruined. The principal difficulty in the way of send-, ing more Belgian troops into the light j was lack of uniforms, but this would j soon ho overcome. Dealing with Belgian politics, M. de ‘Martin said thatj the present Government had keen power for twenty-eight years. He described the Belgian system of pre-j ferential voting, ’ and said'that Bel-i gium had adopted the principle of the I elective executive. He himself had | been elected.as one of the representatives of Antwerp, and to take his seat he had to resign from the army. He regarded his magnificent reception in j Now Zealand as a tribute to Belgium.! He paid a high tribute to the Ameri-, can nation for the splendid services of American citizens in Prussia-ridden Belgium. Had it not been for America Antwerp and Brussels would not have oiii' stone standing upon another to-day. M. de Martin also spoke of j Belgium’s unfortunate strategic posi-i tion, which made her the battleground of Europe. Next month it would be exactly one hundred years since the battle of Waterloo was fought. The Germans were entrenched on the field ot Waterloo to-day. The next great battle at Waterloo would see the j Belgians fighting side by side with the and fighting for the side their OtWi inclinations led them to support.