DEVASTATED FRANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 January 1921, Page 5

DEVASTATED FRANCE.

The Mayors of the devasted districts of France held a congress at Compiegne recently, and passed a series of resolutions which disclose the urgent needs of these striken localities. So that the demolished towns' can be rebuilt, the Mayors suggest a loan in France and abroad, loans from the State, and help from those communes which were not touched by the war. Rebuilding is proceeding very slowly in the destroyed towns for the reason that the municipalities are unable to shoulder the heavy burden without assistance from outside, but when it comes to bringing back the land to cultivation the official figures show tremendous progress, which at first sight would appear well-nigh incredible M. Leredu, Undersecretary of State for the Liberated Regions, states that this year several of the devasted departments have not only produced sufficient wheat for the needs of their own inhabitants, but have also furnished to the rest of France quantities which they lacked. He has given figures which testify in an eloquent fashion to the efforts of the farmers in winning back to cultivation the land scarred by shellholes. Of 6,000,000 acres invaded 3,500,000 had to be made cultivable, and by June of last year over 3,000,000 acres were cleared of shells and barbed-wire, and levelled, while over 2,250,000 acres were put in a state of cultivation and partly sown. In the devasted regions at present 80 per cent, of the land cultivated before the war has produced wheat, barley, oats, beetroot, potatoes, and other crops. The farmers have Been helped by advances on their war damages, by cattle bought in France, and abroad and restored by Germany, and by agricultural machines and seeds and fertilisers. The advances made to agri, culturb.ts on their war damages amoiint to 833,000,000 francs. M. Leredu is so satisfied with the efforts made by the peasants that he predicts a future when the soil of France will be capable of supplying the needs of the people.