COLOMBO PLAN DELEGATES

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28150, 13 December 1956, Page 16

COLOMBO PLAN DELEGATES

PARTY OF 12 VISITS CHRISTCHURCH SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF SOUTH ISLAND Twelve delegates to the recent Colombo Plan conference in Wellington will arrive in Christchurch today and spend the afternoon sightseeing before leaving by air for their home countries early on Friday morning. Led by Mr Philip Lee Tau Sang, a member of the Legislative Council of North Borneo, the party will include other delegates from North Borneo, India, Ceylon, Singapore, Indonesia, and the United States. Three other parties have been touring the North Island. The escorting officer with the party said all members regretted that the visit to Christchurch must be brief, as they all spoke English well, and would have enjoyed talking with local people; but efforts had been made to show them as much distinctive New Zealand scenerv as possible. The party had flown to Nelson at the week-end, and had a full day in that district. They travelled from Nelson to Greymouth on Monday, to the Franz Josef Glacier on Tuesday, and yesterday made the long journey from Hokitika to Hanmer Springs by way of the Lewis Pass. There was excellent weather all the time.

The escorting officer said that, because only half a day would be available in Christchurch, and the visitors would have to complete overseas travel formalities, no official functions were proposed. The party was using its own bus throughout the South Island journey and, as he came from Christchurch, he intended to organise sightseeing in the city as time allowed. Those in the party are:— Ceylon: Mr R. Comaraswamy (Ministry of Finance); Mr H. O. Wijegoonawardena (office of the High Commissioner for Ceylon in Australia) .

India: Mr S. V. Raman (private secretary to Shri Menon). Indonesia: Mr Achmad Ali (State Planning Bureau); Mr Sugeng Amat (Ministry of Agriculture); Mr Arifin Soeria Atmajda (Ministry of Foreign Affairs); Mr Adnan Kusuma (Ministry of Economic Affairs); Mr Wiratno (Ministry of Finance); Mr Soejoto (State Planning Bureau).

North Borneo: Mr Philip Lee Tau Sang (senior nominated member. Legislative Council); Mr A. •M. Grier (under-secretary). Singapore: Mr G. E. Bogaars (Third Assistant Financial Secretary). United States: Mr Jack C. Corbet (Department of State); Mr Ralph Hirschtritt (Treasury Department); Mr Solomon H. Chafkin (International Co-operation Administration).