BRITISH CHILDREN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 September 1940, Page 6

BRITISH CHILDREN

PARTY OF 170 ARRIVES IN WELLINGTON MOSTLY WITH THEIR MOTHERS MANY OTHERS TO FOLLOW. UNDER EVACUATION SCHEME. i (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A party of 170 privately arranged for children arrived today from Britain. The Minister of internal Affairs, Mr Parry, in a statement concerning them, said they had not come out under the evacuation scheme, but the children were 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 that they were made to feel at home in a new land, where sympathy,. sentiment and loyalty rang synonymously and true among the people. He hoped that the party would be followed shortly by a large number of British children to come out 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 the relatives and friends who had nominated children would understand the need for secrecy and any inconvenience they might experience as a result would be cheerfully borne in the interests of the children themselves. Those expecting children could rest assured that they would be well cared for from the time of their arrival till arrangements could be made for them to be handed over to their foster-par-ents.

Mr Parry expressed admiration of the whole-heartedness of the response of many thousands of people throughout New Zealand to the Government’s appeal for homes. Nominations of children of relatives and friends continued to be received in a steady stream. All that had to be done was to write a short letter to the Minister or Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs, giving the name of the child and the address of the parents or guardians in Britain. A surprising number of people did not give their own addresses when writing, and even failed to sign 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 parents or guardians. If theSfe wished to send 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.