Girl’s Hard Work To Bring Fiance To N.Z.

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 2

Girl’s Hard Work To Bring Fiance To N.Z.

"The PreW’ Special Service

AUCKLAND, September 9.

Hard work means happiness this month for Miss Jela Bartulovich, aged 26, an Auckland girl with a goal.

Two years ago Miss Bartulovich arrived in New Zealand from Sucuraj, a fishing village on the Jugoslavian island of Hvar.

She had left her family and fiance and did not know a word of English. It was all very strange and • little frightening. But Miss Bartulovich ■ quickly settled down with her!

! relatives at Auckland and within a few weeks had imade up her mind to bring 'her fiance to New Zealand. It could be done, but only .by hard work and thrift. j Miss Bartulovich became ,one of the hardest workers ij in Auckland and one of its r I champion savers.

She found employment in the city as a dressmaker and at week-ends earned extra money as a domestic and a strawberry picker. The £250 her uncle lent her for her air fare from Belgrade to Auckland was repaid (within six months. This week, with the help of Miss Peggy Nola, secretary of the KLM airline at Auckland, Miss Bartulovich completed immigration and banking arrangements for bringing her fiance, Mr Ivan Slavic, aged 30, to New Zealand.

He will fly to Auckland this month and the couple will be married soon afterwards in St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Apologising for her English (“I only learn from watching television”), Miss Bartulovich said this week that she had worked most of her adult life in Jugoslavia in a fish factory. Her fiance was a fisherman. Both had worked hard, but wages were low and it would have taken them many years to save for a wedding and a comfortable home. NO HOLIDAY

In Auckland, Miss Bartulovich said, she had worked every day for two years, except at Christmas. She had not had a holiday, and had tried to have £ls a week. In her spare time —spare time?

“Oh, yes,” said Miss Bartulovich. “I have time to make my wedding dress and to look for a house for when we get married.”