CHILD EVACUEES FOR N.Z.

Southland Times, Issue 24228, 11 September 1940, Page 6

CHILD EVACUEES FOR N.Z.

Adoption By Foster

Parents

NO ASSURANCE POSSIBLE AT PRESENT (United Press Association). WELLINGTON, September 10. Included in the several thousand offers received by the Government to provide homes for unspecified British children to be evacuated to New Zealand are inquiries as to whether some children, being probably orphans, could be adopted by foster parents in the Dominion.

The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) stated tonight that though there seemed to be much in favour of adoption in the case of orphans it was not the wish of the British Government that any of the children coming to New Zealand under the scheme should remain in the Dominion permanently, but rather that they should return to England on the termination of the war. The names of persons who had indicated a desire to adopt children given to their care had been specially listed. The Government at present could not give an assurance that any children would be available for adoption. If it was subsequently possible to conclude an arrangement for adoption then, in the event of the child being suitable and the foster parents satisfactory in' all respects, the adoption might be allowed, subject to the safeguards which were already provided in the case of the adoption of New Zealand orphan children and any additional safeguards that might be deemed necessary with British children.

The Minister praised the feeling displayed by New Zealand mothers wishing to adopt children who had been bereft of parents through the war.