BRITISH CHILDREN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 June 1940, Page 4

BRITISH CHILDREN

HOMES IN NEW ZEALAND FOR DURATION OF WAR. MINISTER OUTLINES PLANS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Arrangements for the settlement in the Dominion of children evacuated from Great Britain for the duration of the war are given in letters posted to the mayors of the main centres by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Barry. He stated yesterday that many letters were coming daily to members of the Ministry from people in different parts of both islands, offering to take one, two, or three of the evacuated British children. It was proposed to provide for 2500 children coming to New Zealand, but it would probably be possible to extend that number very materially as experience indicated. '“ln undertaking this responsibility,” the Minister said, “the Government is conscious that the wholehearted support of the community will be given to the proposal. In an endeavour to translate this support into practical shape, it is desired that the local authorities throughout New Zealand should collaborate to the fullest possible extent. The immediate way in which this co-operation can be given is for the local authorities to ascertain the number of persons in their particular localities who are willing to provide homes for these children during their stay in New Zealand."

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LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS. MEETING TO BE HELD NEXT WEEK. The Mayor, Mr T. Jordan, stated this morning that he had received a communication from the Hon W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, on the lines of the statement published above. Mr Jordan said he intended to call a meeting in Masterton next week of representatives of district local bodies to consider preliminary measures for the reception and allocation of British children under the scheme.