U.N.I.C.E.F. Director Finds N.Z. Generous

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30367, 17 February 1964, Page 9

U.N.I.C.E.F. Director Finds N.Z. Generous

“In the case of New Zealand we never have to ask; the people have such a voluntary spirit that we have only to tell them of our work,” said the executive director of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (Mr Maurice Pate) in Christchurch last night. Mr Pate, whose headquarters are in New York, is visiting New Zealand in the course of an inspecting and reporting trip to 12 different countries. It is his third visit to this country. Mr Pate, who has been director of U.N.I.C.E.F. since its inception on January 8, 1947, said his principal task in New Zealand was to make a report to the Government and people of New Zealand, and above all, to thank them for their support. Li Wellington next week he will call on the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake), the Leader

of the Opposition (Mr Nordmeyer) and have discussions with Government officials at a joint inter-departmental meeting in the Department of External Affairs. The principal task of UN.I.C.E.F. during its 17 years’ existence had been the setting-up of a large number of mother care and health centres, said Mr Pate. These numbered more than 25,000. For the last 12 years the fund had also helped various countries to combat age-old diseases, such as yaws and tuberculosis. It also helped countries to produce and process milk and other foods. In all this work New Zealand had furnished help, he said. Christchurch was one of the most active areas for the sale of U.N.LC.E.F. greeting cards centres in the world, said Mr Pate. World sales of cards were 30 milion, he said. The U.N.I.C.E.F. represen-

; tative in Christchurch (Mir D. ; A. Mason) said that 40,000 i boxes were sold in Christ- > church last Christmas, and i there was a total sell-out of : cards in New Zealand. The work of the fund was : evolving and increasing all i the time, Mr Pate said. The ; money handled was increasi ing by 5 to 10 per cent every i year, and contributions were i received from practically i every country in the world. : During his present trip he had visited France and Italy, Turkey, Iran, the Soviet Union, India, Burma, Malay- ! sia, Indonesia, Australia, ; and Thailand, where he ati tended the U.N.I.C.E.F. execui tive board meeting at Bangi kok. The main task of the future i would be in training staff, ■he said. Most under- ; developed countries were lacking all types of trained professional people.