HELP FOR CHINA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 15, 16 October 1945, Page 6

HELP FOR CHINA

UNRRA ASKED FOR SUPPLIES

WIDE RANGE REQUIRED

China is looking to UNRRA lor a very wide range of relief and rehabilitation supplies, and a considerable number of highly qualified technical experts. Mr Frank S. Acting Director in the Southwest Pacific Area states that among the goods China had asked UNRRA for were food, medical supplies farming implements* and tools seeds fer'tilis. J 9 ers and pesticides, livestock railway, highway marine airways and tele-communications equipment industrial equipment and household utensils. Types of personnel China wantedincluded doctors, nurses medical teachers, experts in several branches of transportation and communications engineers of all kinds and welfare specialists.

Many of those, appointed would be required to advise Government agen. cies and to train Chinese in some cases -numbering thousands. With the Japanese surrender UNRRA was now faced with tremendous tasks in China and Europe simultaneously, Mr Gaines said. To carry them out successfully it must have the fulle&t support of all member nations which had not been invaded by the enemy. UNRRA's headquarters China Office and Southwest Pacific Area Of-! fice, were working at high pressure to provide China with adequate aid as swiftly as possible..

He recalled that Mr Roy IlendDeputy Director-General of UNRRA, said a few days ago in Washington that because of their nearness to China Australia and New Zealand would be urged to allocate more supplies to UNRRA. Devastation in China from eight years of war had been enormous, Mr Gaines said. Tens of millions of people had been driven from their homes and huge populations urgently needed food clothing J medical care and shelter. China had asked UNRRA for relief and rehabilitation goods and services representing more than £280 000,000. This was the basis of the China programme that UNRRA had been Avorlting out with the Chinese National Relief and Rehabili. tation Administration (CNRRA).

As the initial stage of the total China programme UNRRA had approved of a "ports, programme" which provided for 800,000 tons of supplies valued- at about £60, 000 000 to be shipped to China as .soon as suitable i>orts were available. Appropriate technical experts would also be sent in. Procurement oi the necessary supplies began some time ago. The Japanese surrender meant that the "ports programme" would have to be accelerated and the total programme put into operation over a shorter period than hacl been anticipated.