FROM ANTWERP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 290, 17 May 1915, Page 6

FROM ANTWERP.

BELGIAN SUBJECT IN CIIRISTCUURCII. ('hristehureh, Friday Among the recent arrivals in the eity j is 11. de Martens, a citizen of Antwerp,! who is proceeding to Europe to rejoin; his regiment, the Guards. A week lie-! fore the war- broke out, M. de Martens J was in Paris, and since then lie has not seen his own city. Speaking to a reporter M. de Martens j said that he had been asked to lecture in Christeliurch on •■Belgium and the Belgians." The information he possessed was drawn from his friends, and was more direct even than that taken from the reports of the commission. He had accounts from people who liad seen the devastation of Belgium and the atrocities committed. In addition, he had pictures with which he illustrated his lecture.

"We hear of the Belgian Commission.'' the reporter said. ''Could you give is | its composition?" i '■The greatest men Belgium has pro-1 duced are on it," was the reply. "AH j the members have had judicial experience. No one could doubt their standing, and they carefully sift everything before giving it out to the world. 1 knownearly all the members personally." '■Yes, 1 go to rejoin my regiment," the visitor remarked, "in Belgium." "What is left of it," a friend interjected. "Yes ," was the reply. "Our m<"i hold about one-sixth of Belgium. The loss of life has been great, and the economic loss fearful. I have lost everything I possess. All my property outside Antwerp was in the line of lire. All that is left is my house in Antwerp. I know it is still standing, but that is

'■Oli, yes. 1 hear what the Germans | arc doing. They call Belgium West Prussia,' but it will not bo for long. In] 11 letter 1 am tolil that when a Germing ofliecr enters a restaurant in Antwerp, or Brussels every Belgian leaves the j place. And if one of them gets into a tramcar the ladies hold aside their skirts. Tlie Germans feel that. The Belgians wear the tri-eo'.our, and recently an order was issued that if the tricolour was worn next day the wearers would be penalised. Each man came out with not one but two tricolours, and I more had a photograph of the King in tli« middle of them. What could the Germans do?"

'■Did the Belgians anticipate this ii: vasiou?" M. <le Martens was asked.

"Yes. A lot, perhaps a majority, thought the (ierinans would go through. We have expected war for seven years. That is why our defences were prepared."

"And what is the spirit of Belgium V" , "As ever. We are .more confident; now than at the beginning of the war. I The (ierinans soldiers say that they ex-1 pcet to be ordered to 'go back. The spirit of Belgium is nil right." j "And vuu expect to get into the tiring line-;" " ' ,'

"indeed yes. 1 have eighteen relatives fighting, and, as your language et> presses it so well, T want to 'havi a go."