Biafrans And Czechs Aided

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31781, 11 September 1968, Page 8

Biafrans And Czechs Aided

Another gift of $5OOO for relief in Nigeria and Biafra would be sent overseas soon by the National Council of Churches through its InterChurch Aid Department, said the secretary for inter-church aid (Mr F. G. Heard).

This amount, which included a substantial proportion contributed by the Catholic Overseas Aid Committee of Christchurch, would be in addition to the $4OOO already sent by the council. Mr Heard said that in addition to food and medical supplies, the World Council of Churches had fielded several emergency relief teams, each comprising a doctor, three nurses, a relief officer and a maintenance man. Staff from New Zealand would be welcome, he said. Inter-Church Aid in New Zealand was also sending $lOOO to the World Council of Churches in response to an appeal for funds to help Czechoslovakians who had remained in Austria, said Mr Heard According to a cable received recently from The World Council of Churches in Geneva about 10,000 Czech tourists had remained in Austria, but to the end of August only 600 had applied for political asylum. Since August 28. between 1000 and 2000 Czechs a day had been entering Austria with Autrian visas, and the trend seemed likely to continue.

The World Council of Churches had set up offices in Vienna, Linz and Salzburg, he said.