CHINESE RELIEF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23191, 10 November 1938, Page 17

CHINESE RELIEF

DOMINION "ADOPTION" PROVISION FOR CHILDREN GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT [llY TELEGRAPH —J'JtKSS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Wednesday The Chinese Consul-General for New Zealand, Mr. Feng Wang, has received a cablegram from the Government of the Republic instructing him, at the request. of Madame Chiang Kai-*hek, to convey to the New Zealand contributors to the fund for the "adoption" of Chinese refugee children heartfelt thanks for the magnificent response which has been made by the Dominion.

This followed the receipt of £2OOO on account from New Zealand, and the Hon. W. E. Barnard, chairman of the committee, states that a further £2OOO is being promptly remitted, as the total amount collected to date is £4300. From Hankow the New Zealand committee has received detailed information showing how the funds are hoing spent, the immediate plan being to move 20,000 children into safety from tho three Wuhan cities. They will go into tlfo remote provinces of Szechuan, Kweichow and Kwangsi. l'hey are selected from the poorer families, many of which would bo unable to take care of their children in times of danger. The majority of tho war waifs, among whom were a large number of girls, have been sent to refugee camps at Wcnhsien and Chungking. Others have gone to the Hunan Province, and some thousands distributed in camps established in tho north-west and southwest.

A comprehensive programme has been mapped out to secure permanent homes in various refugee centres in the inland provinces, where the children will be given food, lodging and a vocational education, to be paid for by the Government and innumerable "godparents." Tho association phyis to open several farms and gardens, where the children will he taught methods of farming and gardening. Thus it is hoped that they will gradually become almost self-supporting. To impress poor people with the importance of trusting their children to the care of the association during times of danger, a motor-car unit was organised to tour populous centres in the war zone, staff workers giving enlightening talks to the people in the hope of persuading them to leave their little ones to the association's care until danger is over, when their children can bo safely returned to them.