Government Help For Miss Balemi

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32035, 9 July 1969, Page 1

Government Help For Miss Balemi

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 8. The Government through the New Zealand High Commissioner in New Delhi had offered its fullest assistance to the New Zealander, Miss Diana Balemi, who has been charged with cruelty to orphans under her care in Bombay.

Miss Balemi, who looks after 30 orphans In the New Zealand-sponsored Door of Hope Mission in Bombay, said she was forced to hold a hunger strike to have her case brought before the courts. Allegations that she had burned and beaten some of her children were made after she had complained to the police about a brothel and an illegal liquor store in the flat below the orphanage. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) said in a statement today that he very much regretted Miss Balemi’s difficulties.

The Government for some time had been receiving regular cabled reports on the subject from the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi, he said.

The High Commission had offered its fullest assistance to Miss Balemi and one of its

officers had gone to Bombay several weeks ago for the sole purpose of watchipg her interests and providing whatever help and advice could be given.

“I am satisfied that the High Commission has done, and continues to do, everything in its power'to assist Miss Balemi during this time of personal crisis for her,” said the Prime Minister. Referring to reports that Miss Balemi was in New Delhi meeting Mr Holyoake during his visit to India in January, when the offences were alleged to have taken place, the Prime Minister said he recalled that she had attended a reception given by the Indian Prime Minister (Mrs Gandhi) in his honour, but there had been no opportunity for personal discussion with her. “I am pleased to learn from recent messages that the hearing of the charges is at last proceeding in the Bombay Magistrate’s Court, so that a principal cause of concern to Miss Balemi has thereby been removed,” said Mr Holyoake.