SERBIAN RELIEF.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 18, 24 December 1915, Page 2

SERBIAN RELIEF.

STRATFORD’S "BIT.” A public mating couveued by Hi* Worship the Mayor of Stratford (M 1 ' J. W. Boou) and the Chairman of the Belgian Belief Committee (Mr U. N. Curtis) was held in Elder’s looms last evening for the purpose of organising a fund for the relief of the Serbians. There was only a small attendance of the public. Mr Boon was voted to the chair. Apologies were received from Mr P. Skoglund (hon. secretary Belgian Relief Committee) and Mr T. White. The Chairman, in his opening remarks, said it seemed to him that the pressing need at present was money to relieve distress in Serbia. While a groat deal of money was required for the wounded soldiery at the front and in New Zealand, they were well cared for at present. Serbia was practically a wilderness, and her people cold and starving, and were probably in a worse plight than the people of Belgium, and that was bad enough. Mr Curtis said in the past money was required for thy relief of the Belgians. and it was arranged by the different districts in New Zealand that £15,000 a month would be sent from the Dominion, which, with subscriptions from other parts of the world, would keep the Belgians in food. In Stratford, there was enough money in

hand to supply the local quota for some months to come, so he, as chairman of the Belgian Relief Committee, wrote to Mr Shallcrass, Dominion Secretary, and Mr Skoglund, local secretary, who both stated that the Belgian Fund was in a healthy condition. He also wrote to the Belgian Consul, at Wellington. It could bo seen that the Belgian funds had enough money for the present, but the Serbians were hard pressed, and many were perishing through starvation and cold. Mr Curtis outlined the remarks made by Mr Shallcrass in his. letter which was published in the ‘‘Stratford Evening Post.” If anything was being done, the separate districts were working on their own. He was told that day that Cardiff had subscribed £25 for the relief of the Serbians. He said th 6 Serbians were in need of urgent relief, and he suggested that any money subscribed at the meeting should be sent to Mr Shallcrass through the bank in the morning, and he (Mr Shallcrass) would see that it was cabled to the right authorities at Home at once. After Mr Curtis had read out the amounts already subscribed, he said he proposed to give £2O himself. People should give according to their means, one person might he able to spare Is where another could give £IOO.

Mr S. M. Porritt moved, and Mr A. E. Copping seconded: That this meeting requests the Belgian Relief Committee to kindly open a separate fund for Serbian relief, and ter the money.—Carried. Mr Copping briefly spoke to the motion. Mr R. H. Robinson said the Salvation Army was doing excellent work in Serbia, and they could do no better than send the money subscribed to the head office of the Army in Loudon. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Robinson, seconded by Mr T. H. Penn—That the money subscribed at the meeting, or in hand, be sent to the Head Office of the Salvation Army, London, for the immediate Serbian relief. Mr Penn said the money should be forwarded immediately, otherwise those for whom it hag been subscribed may he dead.

RAISING FUNDS. Th© Chairman said th e meeting should discuss what action it was proposed to take in calling for funds. Mr Copping said other than making a public appeal, very little could be done. He deprecated the canvassing of the town. The Chairman said an appeal made through the Press would bo wisest. It was decided to insert an advertisement in the newspaper calling for money to relievo the starving Serbians. Mr Stewart said his suggestion was to ask Mr R. H. Robinson’s son—who was an accomplished speaker—to make an appeal on behalf of the Serbians. He thought possibly the Town Hall could be rented for the occasion. The Chairman said the Government was doing nothing in the matter at the present time, and he was sure if it sent £SOOO or £IO,OOO, it would noc. do any harm, and it would, to a large extent, relieve {Tie distress straightaway. The Chairman moved, and Mr Robinson seconded: That this meeting respectfully requests the Government to cable an immediate contribution to relieve the present distress in Serbia.—Carried. The amount subscribed totalled £65 10s. Following is th© list; —G. N. Curtis £2O, Misses Skoglund (collected! £l3 ss, Stratford Evening—Post £5 ss, J. W. Boon £5, R. Hi. Robinson and Son £5, T. H. Penn £5, S. M. Porritt £3 3s, F.F. £1 os, A.E.C. £1 Is, W. J. Crawshaw £1 Is, Thos. White £l, A. Mackav £l, Mrs Olemow £l, Mrs H. E. Abraham £l, E.B. 10s, P. R. Stewart 10s, Misses Clemow 10s.