CHILDREN FROM BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 23678, 11 September 1940, Page 6

CHILDREN FROM BRITAIN

170 ARRIVE PRIVATELY-ARRANGED PARTY [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 11. _ A privately-arranged party of 170 children arrived to-day from Britain. The Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. W. E- Parry), in a statement concerning them, said they did not come under the evacuation scheme, but were children, mostly with their mothers, from war-affected England, and would receive an enthusiastic welcome from the Government and the people of New Zealand. They would quickly find they were made to feel at home in their new land, where sympathy, sentiment, and loyalty rang synonymously and true among the people. He hoped the party would be followed shortly by a large number of British children to come under the evacuation scheme. It was definite that children were coming to New Zealand, and arrangements were being completed for their reception.

It was not possible at present to give advice regarding individual children prior to their actual arrival in the Dominion. He felt sure that relatives and friends who had nominated children would understand the need for secrecy, and that any inconvenience they might erperience as a result would be cheerfully borne in the interest of the children themselves. Those expecting children could, rest assured they would be well cared for from the time of their arrival till arrangements could be made for them to he handed over to their foster-parents. Mr Parry expressed admiration of the whole-heartedness of the response by many thousands of people throughout New Zealand to the Government’s appeal for homes. Nominations of children of relatives and friends continued to he received in a steady stream. All that had to be done was to write a short letter to the Minister or the Under-Sec-retary of Internal Affairs giving the name of the child, and the address of the parents or guardians in Britain. It was surprising the number of people who did not give their own addresses when writing, and even failed to sign their letters, causing a great deal of extra work for the staff dealing with the matter. All nominations were forwarded to the High Commissioner in London, who got in touch with the parents or guardians. If these wished to send their children, and the children being eligible under the scheme were accepted, all arrangements would be made by the High Commissioner in conjunction with the Children’s Overseas Reception Board in London or Edinburgh.