Vietnam Orphans’ Treat

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 23

Vietnam Orphans’ Treat

SAIGON. New Zealand recently brought a few hours of joy to the miserable lives of hundreds of Vietnamese war orphans. The men from New Zealand, in their army greens and New Zealand shoulder flashes, visited the povertystricken Binh Loi orphanage in one of the poorest areas on the outskirts of Saigon. Their vehicle, with the Kiwi on the side, turned into a treasure chest. From it flowed cartons of New Zea-land-made toys, clothing and tinned foods. In little over an hour, the men from Tan Tay Lan created an impression that would never be forgotten.

Boys and girls who had never known their parents; and very little kindness,. because of the tragedy of the| Vietnam war, clutched teddy | bears, ships and rubber balls, I handed out by the New: Zealand troops. They said “Cam On, Tan | Tay Lan”—thank you New I Zealander—and at first J wondered if the toys would I have to be returned. But they were quickly con-: vinced, and the rubber balls were soon bouncing off the thatched roofs and thin walls: of their shack-like dormitories, crowded, hot, and | poorly ventilated. The presentation was the I climax of the scheme begun late last year by two New Zea-I land soldiers in South Viet-: nam. One was Staff Sergeant! Richard Grigg, of Waikanae.: who died in the terrorist bombing of Saigon’s Metropole Hotel in December, 1965. The other is Warrant Officer John Desmond (Masterton) who is still with New Zea-1

land Army headquarters in Saigon. They saw the need of the poverty-stricken orphanage when they visited it with an American military group which was giving food and rebuilding materials. Then the Americans gave the children their first real Christmas. Santa Claus arriving by helicopter, and a full j plate for dinner. The New Zealanders’ plans to aid the orphans received publicity in New Zealand and gifts flowed in. Soon the army could not handle the supply and turned the collec- | tion over to C.0.R.5.0. : Finally the goods arrived in Saigon by ship—and the children had a birthday. The toys were handed out ; by the former commander of j New Zealand forces in Vietnam. Lieutenant-Colonel W. :C. T. Foley, one of the originators of the scheme, : Warrant Officer Desmond, and three other New Zealand V- : Force members, Corporal C. IS. Mosby (Mangonui), and j Lance Corporals J. C. DenI ham (Whakatane) and A. K. Rogers (Albany). Cheque for Director

Colonel Foley also presented the orphanage director, the Rev. L. Oliver, with a cheque for 41,000 piastres. Father Oliver, a priest who has devoted his life in trying to improve the . conditions of the complex of welfare homes he started himself, said the money could possibly be used to get an electricity line to the orphanage. The power is wanted not for cooking or ventilating, but just a little for lighting the crowded huts, and mainly for pumping water from the deep well. He explained that the children were from all parts of South Vietnam, one third refugees from the north and others from many war areas.