AUCKLAND HOME RENT FREE FOR DUTCH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 7, 9 January 1946, Page 4

AUCKLAND HOME RENT FREE FOR DUTCH

EVACUEES DUE THIS MONTH ORGANISATION RECEIVING SPLENDID SUPPORT (P.A.) Auckland, Jan. 8 About 35 of the Dutch evacuees who are expected in New Zealand, shortly from internment camps in the Netherlands East Indies will be accommodated at ‘Glen Innes,” the well-known Tamaki home of Mr. Kenneth Myers, which has been placed, rent free, at the disposal of the evacuees.

Mr. H. F. van Eck, of the Netherlands Indies Government Welfare Organisation, stated that the house would accommodate 30 to 35 people comfortably. In addition, his organisation would be taking over the Orewa Hotel, close to Brown’s Bay. It had been closed for some time, and it had now been made available to the Dutch authorities at a nominal rental. It would house about 60 evacuees.

The organisation was receiving splendid support fropi people in Auckland, said Mr. van Eek. Not only had they offered to provide accommodation for the evacuees, but they had also sent in great quantities of toys for the children.

Mr. van Eck said the first ship with evacuees would probably reach New Zealand between January 20 and 25. A cable message published on Monday stated that 1500 Dutch internees, mainly women and children, would leave Batavia wiihin the next few days for New Zealand and Australia, and that already 1500 had left for the two countries, but Mr. van Eck stated that no advice concerning the departure of evacuees for New Zealand had yet been received by him. He expected information, including a passenger list, would be cabled within a few day-, as soon as the first ship sailed from Batavia. He would not know how many evacuees would be arriving on the first ship until he received the passenger list. Il was probable that a number of passengers would go to Australia. The organisation would be ready to take care ot between 300 and 400 evacuee ■ in and around Auckland, as soon as the first draft arrived, said Mr. van Eck. Others would be accommoda ed in various parts of die Dominion.