Vietnamese Orphans To Come To New Zealand

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31761, 19 August 1968, Page 1

Vietnamese Orphans To Come To New Zealand

The National Council of Churches and the St Vincent de Paul Society, in co-operation with C.0.R.5.0., will bring a small number of Vietnamese orphans to New Zealand for adoption.

This was announced at the annual conference of the National Council of Churches in Christchurch on Saturday. Government approval has been given for the scheme.

The scheme, which will be known as Operation Child Rescue, will be underwritten by C.0.R.5.0. for $lO,OOO. “We recognise that to take a child away from its own home background is a fairly depressing thing to have to do, but we feel that there is a real need to do this under the circumstances,” said the president of the council, the Rev. W. S. Dawson.

“The decision to undertake this work was not made lightly and we are aware of the problems inherent in such a project. One of the factors which helped in deciding to proceed was the success of the earlier Hong Kong orphans programme, through which about 50 Chinese orphans have been enabled to integrate happily into New Zealand society,” said the Rev. R. M. O’Grady, resettlement officer for the council. “We cannot minimise the problems in this programme. Facilities in Vietnam itself are subject to the usual problems of a country at war and

the need to get proper legal and medical documentation will make the processing of cases a frustrating procedure. “However, in the last nine months, an estimated 250 children have travelled to adoptive homes in the United States and Western Europe. We believe we have a responsibility to accept some in New Zealand as well.” Mr O’Grady said. “Our most recent reports from Saigon emphasised the pressing need. On July 11 our social worker wrote—‘There are many new-born children. The orphanages are flooded with these tiny creatures every week. They arrive in reasonable condition, plump and velvetyskinned. But unhappily in most of the Saigon orphanages conditions are so bad

that a few days later some children are in pitiful shape.’ “The Churches are agreed that thej’ will work together in this programme. Our submissions to the Government and all our plans have been made jointly. There will be no attempt to get a denominational balance in adoptive parents but simply to try to secure the best possible home for the children we are able to bring. “We are grateful for the promised co-operation of the Minister of Immigration (Mr Shand), and the officers of the Child Welfare Division*. With their assistance and the concern of the Churches, we can be confident that a small gesture will be made to ease the suffering of the people of Vietnam,” Mr O’Grady said.