SOUTH ISLAND DRAFT

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28154, 18 December 1956, Page 7

SOUTH ISLAND DRAFT

First Party Due Here Today The first party of Hungarian refufjees for the South Island will arrive n Christchurch this morning. Eighteen of them will stay in Christchurch—ls single men. one single woman, and one married couple. Accommodation has been found for all these but there is still urgent need for accommodation for further drafts Mr R. H. Bell, the Department of Labour's immigration officer, said yesterday that accommodation was needed particularly for single men. Three aircraft will arrive in Auckland on January 3. carrying more than 200 refugees. About 60 will come to Christchurch if the allotments are made on the same scale as for the first party. Most will be single men At present accommodation is available for only six of them. Mr Bell said there have been many offers for children, but no children had arrived in New Zealand so far. The secretary of the National Council of Churches (the Rev. A. Brash) said the council, which is co-operating with the Department of Labour, has had 150 offers of accommodation, but 40 per cent, of the offers were for children. There have been some offers for men. although offers of sponsorship for women have been more numerous. Mr Brash said more offers of accommodation were urgently needed as the National Council of Churches, with the Department of Labour, was particularly anxious to keep the refugees out of transit camps. Permanent accommodation was not wanted. The period for which accommodation was required was for u r ' to three months.