DESERTED WIVES OF U.S.A. SERVICEMEN

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 March 1947, Page 7

DESERTED WIVES OF U.S.A. SERVICEMEN

ADMIRAL BYRD TO ASSIST (P.A.) Wellington, March 14 An assurance that he would take up the matter of deserted New Zealand wives of American servicemen on his return to the United States, was given to-day by Rear-Admiral Byrd to Mrs. F. P. Sviatko, President of the New Zealand Eagle Club, in an interview on board the Mount Olympus. Mrs. Sviatko expla’ned the Eagle Club for New Zealand wives of American servicemen now dealt exclusively with wives of American husbands who had been deserted. The club was trying to do something for those wives.

In answer to a question from the admiral, Mrs. Sviatko said the husbands were mostly Marines. There were 200 deserted wives in New Zealand, 8000 in England, and from 1400 to 2000 in Australia, said Mrs. Sviatko. Some 25 girls in need of help had contacted the club in New Zealand. All were married. The New Zealand. Government had been giving the girls assistance, Mrs. Sviatko said. She hoped to leave New Zealand for America in April and wanted to see President Truman about the position.

The admiral suggested a list be given him from the club of names and addresses of all the wives, their present status, whether they were beinq supplied, their financial position, and whether they had children. He also wanted, to know the names of the husbands, where the marriages took place, and what section of the Army the husbands served with. “I shall take the matter up in the States. Something has to be done,” he said. Mrs. Sviatko assured him the list would be prepared and forwarded to him.