DESCENDANTS OF INCAS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26985, 10 March 1953, Page 11

DESCENDANTS OF INCAS

U.Nz INTEREST IN WELFARE (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 9. The United Nations aims to improve the lot of the descendants of South America’s fabulous Incas who have been living at an altitude of 16,000 ft on isolated plateaus in the Andes for the last 400 years. Having lived at such great altitudes for so long, they are unadjusted physiologically to conditions at lower levels and are frightened of the tropical diseases to be caught in the eastern plains leading to the headwaters of the Amazon. The head of the psychology department at Victoria University College, Dr. Ernest Beaglehole, has returned to Wellington after leading a mission of experts from the United Nations and its specialised agencies to find out how such a programme could be introduced. The mission, which co-operated with officials of 4he Governments of Bolivia. Ecuador, and Peru, was made up of experts on agriculture, education, public health, anthropology, community welfare, social development, and allied fields.

After spending four months and a half among the Indians, the mission returned to New York and Geneva to prepare reports for submission to the next meeting of the United Nations Technical Assistance Board. It is hoped in the coming year to begin a series of projects which will provide a solution to the problems of these people. As a beginning, a land report programme is planned for Bolivia, a cooperative handicraft development project for Ecuador, and an Indian leadership programme for Peru.