MIGRANTS FROM EUROPE PROVE GOOD SETTLERS

Grey River Argus, 12 October 1949, Page 3

MIGRANTS FROM EUROPE PROVE GOOD SETTLERS

57 Families Among 800 Placed in NX P.A. WELLINGTON, Oct 11. Nearly 800 out of the 941 Europeans, including 240 children, who arrived in New Zealard under the arrangements with the International Refugee Organisation, have now been settled.

Since undergoing the processes of reorganisation not one of them had sought to evade their signed undertaking to work for two years in employment arranged for them by the New Zealand Government, said the Minister of Immigration, Hon. A. McLagan, to-day. A re-assessment of the settlers’ employment aptitudes had confirmed the existence of many fine types among them and all had shown great keenness to settle down and become New Zealanders as soon as possible, continued the Minister. The placement of many of the remainder had been delayed because of the camp duties to which they have been assigned, but they would be released for employment at an early date. The process of reorientating the settlers’ minds toward farm work had been greatly assisted by the week-end hospita’ity offered by NewZealand farmers and they became keen to accept employment and accommodation on New Zealand farms. Twenty-two families are already placed on farms and another six families will be taking up farm work during the next fortnight,” said the Minister. Twenty-nine families had been placed in sawmill and other bush jobs and two additional Emilies would soon be proceeding to similar work, added the Minister. From the widow's, single worn n and elderly persons groups, 118 workers had been allocated to domestic work in institutions, schools and colleges. A total of 83 workers from these groups had already been allocated to hospitals and 96 to various other types of essential work. Of the 162 single men who arrived, 69 had gone to th : New Zealand Railways; 69 to forestry work anc bush sawmills, and 26 to other types oi essential work. The remaining eigffi men will be leaving the reception centre as soon as they can be released.

Arrangements have still to be made for the resettlement of 20 couples with one child each ,and six married couples in the higher-age group, vyho are without dependent children. The Minister added that in view of the many offers still being received, his department would have no particular difficulty in resettling the small remainder, who would be greatly assisted by the high reput a'iim errned by those already at work. LONDON, October 10.

Twenty-one British children migrating to New Zealand will sail to-mor-row in the Rimutaka. They comprise the fifth party of British children to leave Britain under the New Zealand Government’s child migration scheme.

Already 105 British youngsters have gone to New Zealand under the scheme.

The youngest member of to-mor-row’s party is five-year-old David Colbert, of Manchester, whose mother and father live in rooms. They felt David would have a better chance in New Zealand than they could give him.

“We shall miss him terribly”, Mrs Colbert said when she handed David to New Zealand officials. “Perhaps we shall be able to join him later”. 'She said that the New Zealand High Commissioner, Mr W. J. Jordan, gave the children a farewell party at Overseas House last night. “You will find New Zealand towns and cities just like your own here, and the people just as friendly”, he said. He told the children not to forget about their parents and to carry on in New Zealand the activities they had in Britain,