DANISH MIGRANTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22511, 15 December 1947, Page 6

DANISH MIGRANTS

SETTLING IN AUSTRALIA TRANSFER OF FACTORY LONDON, Nov. 24. An advance party of a unique migration venture —the transfer of a complete factory and a number of its workers from Denmark to Australia—will leave Copenhagen soon. By April next, the firm hopes to be producing petrol motors and machine tools in a factory near Perth. This pilgrimage is headed by 54-year-old H. H. Nielsen, whose present factory is at Holding, near Copenhagen. He said he expected the Australian Minister for Immigration (Mr Calwell) to announce soon the details of this migration move in which he showed great interest when in Denmark early this year. At one stage, Mr Nielsen said it was planned, because of shipping difficulties, to carry out the migration by air, but the cost was estimated at more than £7OOO, and was reluctantly turned down. Mr Nielsen arranged to leave on November 26 with his wife and daughter, travelling by ship to America, then flying the Pacific. Tn Families in Main Parly The main party, comprising 10 families, including eight or nine children, left Denmark by ship on December 6 for Colombo, where they will transfer to another ship for Western Australia. Mr Nielson said, “The Director of Industrial Development in Western Australia has placed a factory building at our disposal, and we have alreay received orders from large firms. We are taking many machines and specialised equipment used in the manufacture of engines and grinding and polishing machines. “It is exactly a year since we decided to migrate. Our landing permits have just arrived and we have received every possible help from the Australian authorities. “The workers going with us are young and include some of my own family. They are the best specialists we can get- They will become good Australians. “You can get an idea of the interest in our move by the flood of letters I reecived when it became known in Denmark that we planned to migrate. Hundreds of letters poured in from all parts of the country from people wanting to accompany us. Danes are very interested in Australia and its future.