CHINESE REFUGEES ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND

CHINESE REFUGEES ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND MUCH HARDSHIP ENDURED

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)AUCKLAND, September 4,

The first group of Chinese refugees brought to New Zealand from war zones by relatives in the Dominion has reached Auckland. The party comprises the wives of eight Chinese resident in New Zealand and several children. A larger party of 70 will reach Wellington shortly, and others are on the way.

Subject to certain conditions, wives of New Zealand-born Chinese are admitted to the country in ordinary times. The present arrivals have been brought to the Dominion by Chinese resident her.c, but not born in New Zealand, under special permits. The refugees will be admitted for a period of two years, subject to the signing of a £500 bond and payment of a deposit of £200, to be forfeited if the conditions laid down are broken. Any children born to refugee wives while in New Zealand must leave at the expiry of the two-year term.

All the refugees in the group which has arrived are from Kwang Tung Province, the majority from the vicinity of Canton.

Many endured great hardship in reaching Hong Kong, whence they embarked for New Zealand via Australia. The journey from Canton to Kowloon, whence the ferry to Hong Kong leaves, normally takes about three hours by train. The refugees, however, had to travel on foot with their children and had to make a wide detour to avoid Japanese forces. Many took 10 days to reach Hong Kong. Even then difficulty was found in securing steamer accommodation, as all vessels leaving Hong Kong are crowded.

Several of the party on reaching New Zealand still showed signs of the privations they had suffered. Only two families will remain in Auckland; the others will go to relatives in various parts of the North Island.

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 57, 5 September 1939, Page 16 http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP19390905.2.129&cl=search&srpos=80&e=-------100--1----0chinese+wives--&st=1