GIRL REFUGEE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21697, 12 January 1934, Page 9

GIRL REFUGEE

ARRIVAL AT SYDNEY CARED FOR BY RED CROSS SAILING FOR NEW, ZEALAND LONG JOURNEY'S LAST STAGE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received January 11, 9.55 p.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 11 The Russian girl Galina Bogatiroff, whose parents in New Zealand are anxiously awaiting her homecoming, duly arrived by the steamer Atsuta Maru to-day. She is a cheerful, robust girl and was wearing a red print dress, blue beret and white sandshoes and socks. She was interviewed through an interpreter. Though extremely shy the little girl asked and answered many questions. She told her mterviewers she passed the hours on the voyage trying to "picture her new life in a new country. She wondered what the school would be like in New Zealand. She expected she would have to learn English. . Her companions on board were a Russian, Mr. J. Rumpkin, and his son aged 15 years. No one else on the ship was able to converse with her. Galina is aged 15 years and is in the charge of the chairman of the New South Wales lied Cross organisation, Mrl R. Hawkes, until she sails by the Wanganella for Wellington on Saturday. She had the misfortune to lose the suitcase containing her belongings to-day while en route to the Red Cross oflices.

The first to greet the girl was Miss Rosa Piper, of_ the Red Cross, who affectionately embraced her and assured her through an interpreter of her future safety and comfort, whereupon Galina spoke what little English she had learnt on the trip. " Thank you very much," she said, " I very happy."

The case of Galina Bogatiroff has had the attention of seven Governments. Her parents escaped from Russia at the time of the Bolshevik revolution, but were compelled to leave their daughter behind owing to privations and illness. The girl was cared for Iw friendly unknown people. The Red Cross Society finally traced her at Stretensk, Siberia. Captain Galloway, of the New-Zealand Red Cross, was largely instrumental in the negotiations for ner restoration to her parents.