BRITISH CHILDREN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26748, 17 April 1948, Page 8

BRITISH CHILDREN

IMMIGRATION PLAN FOSTER PARENTS SOUGHT APPLICATIONS INVITED P.A. WELLINGTON, Apl. 16. Cabinet has decided to bring a number of British orphan and other British children to New Zealand, said the Minister of Immigration, Mr MPLagan. The number will be decided in accordance with the number available and the number of approved guardians who could be obtained in New Zealand.

An appeal for prospective foster parents in New Zealand has been made by the development secretary of the Overseas League, Commander D. C. Kinloch. He appealed to intending foster parents to advise the Child Welfare Department of their wishes. Partly because friends of other children who had been temporarily evacuated to Australia and New Zealand during the war had learned of the good life offering in the Dominion, and partly because there was still a strong urge among the people of Britain to settle overseas, a great many children had applied to be brought to New Zealand to live, Commander Kinloch said. The ages of the-children, generally, were from 5 to 17. All were children of fine stock and decent families, and the type to grow into healthy, intelligent and happy New Zealanders. Commander Kinloch said that, while shipping accommodation was temporarily limited, the New Zealand Government had agreed that a percentage of the berths available should be set aside for child migration, and had asked the league to find the children. The league had accepted the task gladly, and acknowledged the help of the Dominion Settlement and Population Association. Commander Kinloch said that the Child Welfare Department, upon receiving word from prospective foster parents, would advise the Overseas League in London of the type of children wanted. The sooner the league in London knew, the sooner the children would be in New Zealand homes.

The immigration division of the Department of Labour and Employment stated to-day that application forms were being printed for the use of persons desiring children in their homes under the new scheme. The department confirmed the statement by Commander Kinloch that only a small proportion would be orphaned children and that the scheme would primarily be a guardianship one for British children whose parents were anxious for them to obtain a start in the Dominion.

It was stated that applications should be made directly to the various district offices of the Child Welfare branch.