Five Communist Journalists’ Visit

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30478, 27 June 1964, Page 1

Five Communist Journalists’ Visit

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, June. 26.

Five journalists from Communist newspapers abroad are expected to arrive in Auckland about July 2 as guests of the Communist Party newspaper, the “People’s Voice,” which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary.

They will attend six occasions arranged at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Greymouth and Dunedin. The newspapers they represent are “Pravda,” in the Soviet Union, the “People’s Daily,” in China, the “Tribune,” in Australia, “Akahata,” in

Japan, and the “People’s Daily,” of Indonesia.

All but the Australian journalist require visas to enter New Zealand and, although the editor of the “People’s Voice,” Mr Alec Ostler, of Auckland, said tonight be had been told they had not yet received visas, an inquiry at the Department of External Affairs tonight revealed that no decision has been- taken to decline the applications. A month ago, visas were refused to two Chinese scientists from Peking University who were invited to visit New Zealand by the New Zealand-China Society to encourage “cultural relations and trade exchanges." They are, according to a statement issued by the society in Auckland this week, Professor Chou Pie-Yuan, the vice-director and a fluid mechanics expert, and Dr. Chang Jen-Chi, a physiology lecturer.

The “People’s Voice” was first published on July 7, 1939. but was suspended under war-time emergency regulations from July 29, 1941, to July 7, 1943. The journalists’ tour is planned to begin with a 10s dinner at Auckland on July 6. They will be at a reception and buffet supper in the Tudor Lounge, Greymouth, on July 6; a social evening in Dunedin on July 8; a social evening and dance at the Bedford Chambers, Christchurch, on July 10; a dance and press exhibition in the Wellington Trades Hall on July 11, and at a public meeting in the Auckland Town Hall concert chamber on July 12.