HUNGARIAN REFUGEES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28180, 19 January 1957, Page 8

HUNGARIAN REFUGEES

PARTY TO ARRIVE THIS EVENING

Accommodation has been arranged for the third party of Hungarian refugees who will reach Christchurch by air this evening, but the immigration officer of the Department of Labour and Employment (Mr R. H. Bell) said last evening that he was “scraping the nails at the bottom of the barrel” to find places for other large groups yet to arrive.

The 52 who will arrive this evening comprise 38 single men, two single women, four married ’ couples, and one family with two • children. A fourth party is expected on Sunday, January 27, consisting of 12 single men, one single woman, four married couples, and a family with one child.

Accommodation for next week’s party was causing grave concern,

and this would be aggravated by the impending arrival of others by sea in the near future, Mr Bell said. With the arrival of the fourth draft next week, New Zealand would have received 536 of the 1000 refugees it has promised to accept. One hundred and twenty-eight would be in the Canterbury area, and an almost equal number could be expected to come from the drafts coming by ship. In these circumstances, Mr Bell said, he would issue yet another urgent appeal for offers of accommodation, even temporarily, until the new settlers could be assimi-j lated in the community.