DUTCH EVACUEES

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24749, 14 December 1945, Page 8

DUTCH EVACUEES

* PARTY COMING NEXT MONTH ABOUT 500 EXPECTED Because of shipping delays, the Dutch evacuees who are coming to Canterbury from the Netherlands East Indies for recuperation after their internment by the Japanese will not now arrive in Christchurch till after the New Year. No advice has been received regarding the exact number to be accommodated, but it is expected that there will be about 500 meh, women, and children in the party. The Netherlands Indies Government Welfare Organisation, which is arranging for the reception and accommodation of the evacuees, will open an office in Christchurch shortly. Accommodation has been obtained in portion of the premises in High street occupied by the city headquarters of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The South Island representative of the organisation ' will be Captain J.' T. Schoon, who formerly lived in Christchurch, and he will have an office staff of New Zealanders.

Hundreds of applications have been received from men and women for the positions of finance officer, transport officer, billeting officer, and welfare officer, which were fdvertised recently by the Netherlands Indies authorities. Among the applicants are some returned servicemen, and the Netherlands Indies Trade Commissioner in Australia (Mr Jan van Holst Pellekaan), who has been visiting New Zealrnd to arrange for the reception of the evacuees, has announced that preference will be given to returned servicemen when applications are considered.

The provision of accommodation for the evacuees in Christchurch is proving a problem at present. The Netherlands Indies Government Welfare Organisation hopes, however, to obtain some large property, which, if necessary. can be furnished, Dutch medical officers, dentists, and cooks will accompany the evacuees' party, and arrangements have been made to convert the top floor of the old Welcome Club in Lichfield street into a club or community centre for the evacuees, which they can use during their slay in Canterbury. In an interview in Auckland, Mr van Holst Pellekaan explained that the whole scheme for the accommodation of the evacuees was like a big commercial organisation, and the people who came to New Zealand would spend* about £1 000.000 in the country. Within three davs of arrival, each evacuee would receive an allowance of £IOO for various purposes, and further regular allowances would be made. Each group would stay in the Dominion about four months, and the scheme would probably Inst about a year.

There has been a good response in Christchurch to the appeal by the Dutch authorities for toys for the children of file evacuees, and the Netherlands Vice-Consul (Mr G. N. Francis! has received a large number of parcels There has been no opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of these, but tliis will be clone when the welfare organisation is established. Although tlie children will not be here for Christmas, the toys will stilt be welcomed, and it is hoped that the response to the appeal will continue. Further gifts can be sent to the ViceConsul or to the welfare organisation’s office.