CHINESE REFUGEES. WOMEN AND CHILDREN. HAVEN MAT BE GIVEN.
Women and children left destitute by the destruction of their homes and loss of property in the fall of Canton will be brought to Auckland if their relatives here can obtain the necessary permission from the Government.
Most of the Chinese in Auckland come from the war zone, and many of them have dependents anion? the refugees. Keeking to bring wives and children out ,of danger and give them a temporary refuge hero, some have already applied for permission to the .Minister of Customs. According to Mr. Andrew Chong. secretary of the Auckland Chinese Association, a favourable reply has been received.
One applicant has been notified that untler certain conditions his requeet to be allowed to bring his wife into New Zealand for a period of two yeare will be considered. The conditions include the signing of a £.1OO bond, and if permission is allowed, the payment  £200 deposit to be forfeit in the event of the conditions being broken One of the conditions is that any children born to his wife while she is 5n New Zealand will be taken out of the country on the expiry of the two years allowed. Sorry Plight. "Refugees from Canton are in a sorry plight," eaid Mr. Chong, "even the more fortunate ones who have been able to reach safety in Hongkong. Some of
the Chinese living in Auckland who had dependants in Canton have had no news of wives or children since the fall of the city last year, and a few have gone home to China to search for them." Mr. Chong said that the exchange control under the import licensing scheme had not. so far, prevented Auckland Chinese from sending money to assist refugees, where they could be located. Licenses were allowed for the first six months of the year to obtain drufts, the amount varying according to the number of dependants. With the tightening of control by the banks in the past few weeks, however, drafts had been refused in some cases, even although licenses were held. Applicants have been informed that the funds were not available.
According to Mr. Chong, the Chinese community is well satisfied with the consideration shown by the Government in their difficult time. Only a few have returned to China this year, and they have been nllowed to take out of the country a sum of money not exceeding Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 127, 1 June 1939, Page 13