YUGOSLAV EXODUS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26693, 12 February 1948, Page 3

YUGOSLAV EXODUS

ARRIVAL OF REPATRIATION SHIP PA. AUCKLAND, Feb. 11. Throughout yesterday fishing boats and commercial launches took parties of New Zealand Yugoslavs to the Yugoslav Government’s steamer Radnik, at her anchorage in the stream at Auckland. Several hundred visitors boarded the vessel to meet their compatriots to learn news of towns and villages not seen for many years, and to admire the first ship of the Tito Government over to visit the Dominion. , . The Radnik is engaged in the repatriation of Yugoslav nationals from overseas countries. She has already made three voyages from Canada, carrying a total of 1500 passengers. On this voyage she will embark about 100 Yugoslavs, both young and old, at Auckland, and pick up another 400 in Australia. This will be the largest single party of the country s nationals to leave the Dominion. The master of the steamer, Captain b. Loncaric, said there was no element of compulsion in the repatriation of Yugoslav nationals. “ There is no law in Yugoslavia that anyone must come home, he said, “but many are returning to help the country lift itself from the rums left by the Germans and the Italians, and to make us independent industrially. After medical and Customs formalities were completed, a constant strearn of Yugoslav residents visited the Radnik during the day. All the visitors appeared to 1 find fellow townspeople, and little groups formed in many parts of the ship to discuss home news. At the bar a happy gathering once again tasted the wine' of the country. The steamer will berth to-morrow to begin loading a small part of the cargo consigned to her home port of Rijeka by the New Zealand Yugoslav Association. She will take 450 bales of wool, 1200 sacks of hides, and 100 Romney sheep, which will be used to improve the native stock. The Radnik will sail for Australia later in the week. -