MORE YUGOSLAVS RETURNING HOME

Chronicle (Levin), 7 October 1947, Page 5

MORE YUGOSLAVS RETURNING HOME

AUCKLAND, Oct. 6. Another large party of Yugoslavs is expected to leave New Zealand for their homeland in December or early in January, aecording to Mr. Marino Ivieevielij a prominent member of the Yugoslav community in Auckland, ile said there were similar movements in Canada and Australia and that the Yugoslav Government (5500-ton ship Radnik, which had already made three trips to Canada^, would come to New Zealand in December or January and would call at Australian ports on her way back to Yugoslavia. Although flnal arrangements had yet to be made, the party about to leave New Zealand was expected to consist of over 100 people ranging from infants to Yugoslavs who had spent 30 or 35 years in New Zealand. Complete families would be ineluded in the party and there would also be a number of young men who had come to New Zealand only shortly before the war. All'of them had either come qriginally from or haa strong family associations with the Adriatic coast area and had properties to which to return. The return home of a number of Yugoslavs would make little difference to the strength of the Yugoslav community in New Zealand which totalled about 5000, Mr Ivicevieh added. Some 60 had gqxte already and even with the addition of those preparing to go, the total would not be a major proportion of those living in the Dominion. Mr. Ivicevieh said efforts were being made to establish a trade agrepment between Yugoslavia and New Zealand and added that if this, were done, the Radnik might be a regular caller at New Zealand ports. Yugoslavia was rieh in metals and building materials and could export these *in exchange for New Zealand wool, leather, live stoek and other joroducts,