Vietnamese children might come to N.Z.

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33816, 12 April 1975, Page 16

Vietnamese children might come to N.Z.

tye.u> Zealand Press Association! WELLINGTON, April 11. Groups of Vietnamese children max he brought to ■y'' : Zealand lor adoption, the Prime Minister (Mr Rowling) said h I Parliament today.

He said he received a I cablegram lasi night from a Department of Social Welfare officer in ;Saigon, Mr .1. Fountain, i that the South Vietnamese Social Welfare Department might give approval for the adoption of groups of live to 10 children.

[ The Prime Minister was [answering a question from [Mr R. L. G. Talbot (Nat., South Canterbury), who asked if the Government would take the initiative in an effort to have orphaned children brought here. “The Government shares the concern of New Zealanders about the totality of

events in Vietnam and is doing what it can to bring help to the Vietnamese people, including children orphaned by the war.” Mr Rowling said.

"In the circumstances prevailing.” he said, “it remains essential to base our decisions solely on consideration of the children’s welfare.” The Government had to act in consultation with the South Vietnamese Minister of Social Welfare (Dr Dan).

In reply to a question from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr Taiboys), Mr Rowling said that a great number of the reports about large numbers of orphans going to the United States and Australia were not based on fact.

There had been one major movement of orphans to Australia, Mr Rowling said — a total of 247 children. Procedures for the adoption of 120 of them had begun before the present situation arose.

[ Of the remaining 127, a [great number were from institutions in which Australia had an interest. “Vietnam has been wartorn for year after year,” Mr Rowling said. “There are thousands and thousands of war orphans.’’

The Government view was that New Zealand could do the greatest good by helping people in their own environment.

“We are more concerned with the lives and welfare of the children than we are playing politics on the matters,” Mr Rowling said. STATEMENT

In a statement later, Mr Rowling said the Vietnamese Ministry had made it clear that there was no large pool of orphans waiting for urgent evacuation.

Although the Government was working in co-operation with the Vietnamese Ministry, to follow the adoption procedures normally required by the Vietnamese Government “could lead to greater delays than would be warranted by present circumstances.”

Mr Rowling said he felt that in “genuine cases the Vietnamese authorities would agree to shorten the process in view of the very careful steps that would be taken in New Zealand to protect the best interests of the children both on arrival and in the choice of adoptive parents.” Mr Fountain was continuing his talks with welfare and adoption agencies in Saigon and another cablegram was expected shortly.

I “The Government will do I everything necessary i bring orpnans to New Zealand in cases where we are [convinced that this will lv [in their best interests." Mr [Rowling said. | The wave of emotion in (New Zealand had been [sparked off by a feeling that I there were thousands <>f orphans in Saigon in [imminent danger from a [military take-over of the [ city. I With the present lull tn fighting, a cooler assessment [could be made of the degree [of danger likely to be involved. [ The Government’s “rational [approach” to Vietnam’s (refugee problem has been [endorsed by the Inter-church [Committee on Immigration—[a committee comprising [representatives of the [National Council of Churches, [the Catholic Immigration (Committee and the Jewish [Welfare Agency. I The National Council of [Churches representative on I the committee (the Rev. K. J I Taylor) said in a statement that the committee believes [New Zealanders at this time lean best show their concern | for refugees and displaced persons by contributing to the Indo-China Emergency Fund, which the Government is subsidising dollar for dollar.

He said the 1.C.C.0.1. for the last five years has been trying to begin a Vietnamese orphan programme. Mr Taylor also announced that a second group of 14 Chilean refugee families is due in New Zealand in the next few weeks.