Rotary Club Aids Greek Refugee

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31143, 20 August 1966, Page 16

Rotary Club Aids Greek Refugee

The first refugee brought to New Zealand under the National Council of Churches sponsorship scheme to be sponsored by a civic group (instead of a church) arrived in Christchurch yesterday. He is Mr I. Psarovassilis. who is sponsored by the Christchurch South Rotary Club.

Mr Psarovassilis, a Greek, is an electrician and technical designer who had to leave Egypt, the land of his birth, because of a lack of employment opportunities open to Greeks. He speaks six languages. Besides being the first National Council of Churches refugee to be sponsored by a civic group, Mr Psarovassilis is also one of the youngest refugees to come out to New Zealand by himself. He will be 21 in December. Mr J. O. Taylor, chairman of the international committee of the Christchurch South Rotary Club, said that plans to find Mr Psarovassilis a job and board were somewhat rushed, as his arrival was not confirmed until 10 days ago. The club would help Mr Psarovassilis to settle down and assist him for quite a long time, Mr Taylor said.

Mr Psarovassilis's arrival is the culmination of several years’ interest in this country. He first applied to come as a refugee in 1964. but was persuaded to return to Greece to rejoin his family who had moved there from Egypt. This did not work out, however, and he applied for entry to New Zealand again. One of his main reasons for choosing New Zealand as his new home was because of the reports of friends from Egypt who now live in Wellington, Mr Psarovassilis said. He hopes to study at university to supplement his Egyptian training.