SOVIET STEPS IN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 515, 26 April 1933, Page 5

SOVIET STEPS IN

LOST RUSSIAN CHILD RETURN TO PARENTS IN N.Z. HAMPB&ED BY AUTHOiRITIES. PASSPORT TROUBLE. Th'e twelve-year-old Russian child, iGalina Boga.tiroff, who was found in Stretensk, Siberia, through the efforts of the Red Cross after having been lcst traee of since shs was a . few mcnths old, is finding difficulty in returning to her family. Her patents reside at Foxton. Nag'otiations have been in train for a, considerable time for the child to leave-Russia and? come to New Zealand, hut reeent correspondence from the secretary of the League of Red Cross Societies, Paris (Mr. Ernest j. Swift) indicates that tronhle ds being raised hy the Soviet Govemment on the question of a passport. Early in the proceedings, when the child had been fonnd after long search, the representative of the International Red Cross iin Moscow (M. Wehrlin) considered that Galina would be permitted to travel und'er a British passport, which it was thought could be obtained without difficulty, and at small cost. Now it is stated that the gdrl, having .been born in 'Russia — from which her parents fled from the terror of the Russian revolution — is. considered to be a Russian subject. Th'e price quoted for this passport hy the Soviet "Intourist" — which has the monopoly

of travel arrangements out of Russia — is absolutely prohibitive for the Red Cross Society, heinig approximately 300 dollars. This is a great deal more than th'e expePs.es of the journey from Siberia to New Zealand. High Commissioner's Help. Mr. Swift stated in his letter that the Hdgh Commissioner for New Zealand in London (Sir Thomas Wilford) had been approached in an effort to secure h'elp' in the matter of a necessary document for entry to the Dominion. Aid was not forthcoming immediately, however, although the High Commissioner promised to seek a definite ruling from the Home Office. At the time of writing, March 1, no report had been received by the League of Red Cross Societies. The British Ambassador in Moscow (Mr,, A. H. Hamilton-Gordon) had also been approached. The Ambassador replied that it could not be held that Galina was a British subject, but that it would be possible, if the U.S.S.R. authorities had no objection, for a British passport to be issued to her for the purposes of the journey. It seems doubtful whether such permission will he given. If it is not, the cost of paying for the passport will seriously hamper the Red Cross efi'orts to restore the child to her family. Cost of the Journey. Mr. Swift wrote: "We ha.ve heen trying in several different directions to g"et an ddea of the approximate cost of the journey. As travel through Manchuria — which would have heen the most direet route — is at present obviously impossible, I presume that Galina would need to embark at Vladivostok. The third-class full railway fare from Stretensk to Vladivostok is about £15. From Vladivostok to Yokohama the boat journey wonld cost 173 yen in second-class, or 87 in third class. From Yokohama to Auckland, via Sydney, the full fare cost in third-cla-s would be approximately £37 10s. In addition to this amount the charge for passport, visas, etc., must be considered. It ds impossible to tell in advance how mueh tbere would be if Galina is obliged to obtain a 'Russian passport, although the price quoted by Tntourist' is approximately 300 dollars. This ds absolutely prohibitive." Mr. Swift stated that the League was doing everything possible to further the child's return to her panents. New Zealand's Part. The secretary of the Red Cross in New Zealand (Mr. M. S. Galloway) states that the society here had done its part. The Rusisian 'Government alone was holding up progress. Suffieient money was available to pay for the journey, but the passport trouble was likely to prove a considerable handieap1. The Red Cross had proved itself a satisfactory avenue — indeed the only suitable avenue — in which to oa.rry on negotiations such as this. Bedng an international organisation, it was able to bring to success such matters as the findin'g' of Galina Bogatiroff, a matter which would be well nigh impossible for other bodies. It was an extremely difficult matter to negotiate with foreign ( people, and there was no body better able to do it than the Red Cross. In the meantime it could only be hoped that a successful arrangemient could be come to in regard to the passport. It was distressing after the success which had rewarded the society's efforts that this difficulty should now arise.