Alley, Rewi (1897-1987), a New Zealand author, became famous for his work in industrial cooperatives in China. He is honored in a museum in Wuhan dedicated to the founders of the Communist Revolution of 1949.
Alley was born at Springfield in Canterbury, New Zealand, on Dec. 2, 1897. He won the Military Medal for bravery during World War I (1914-1918). After the war, he became a farmer. In 1927, he went to China. There, he supported the Communists in their fight for power. After the Communists established the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Alley founded industrial cooperatives there and assisted with China’s agricultural development. He ran a school in Shandan for more than 40 years. Alley wrote many books inspired by his encounters with Chinese workers and his assessment of industrial conditions in China. He also wrote dozens of books of poetry. Alley’s support for the Communists made him a controversial figure in New Zealand before western recognition of Communist China. Later, he was honored for improving relations between China and New Zealand. He died on Dec. 27, 1987.
