Churches’ Council Helps Family To Migrate

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30477, 26 June 1964, Page 1

Churches’ Council Helps Family To Migrate

The first immigrant family to come to New Zealand under the present immigrant assistance agreement between the National Council of Churches and the New Zealand Government will arrive in Christchurch tomorrow.

Mr and Mrs G. I. Rodionov and their two adult sons will come to New Zealand after many months waiting and hoping. Wanting to migrate to an English-speaking country, they applied some years ago to the New Zealand Government, but were rejected. However, recently at the request of the N.C.C., the Immigration Department reviewed their applications, obtained new medical certificates, and gave the Rodionovs permission to immigrate. Both Mr and Mrs Rodionov were born in Russia but have lived for many years in China, where they married. Mrs Rodionov was formerly married to a Chinese and the elder of the two sons is his child. Because of this, the family was unable to immigrate to Australia. For more than a year the family has been living in Hong Kong, the United Nations paying for accommodation. Being only on transit

visas none of them have been allowed to find employment. . In Christchurch the Rodionovs will spend a few days with friends before travelling to Invercargill, where the refugee committee of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church is arranging accommodation and finding employment for the young men.