FALSE ENTRY PERMITS

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28257, 20 April 1957, Page 15

FALSE ENTRY PERMITS

Charges “Surprise” Chinese (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 19. Chinese leaders in Wellington are disturbed by reports that members of their community would be unwilling to co-operate with police investigating the entry permit "racket.” They believe a false impression may have been given by some newspaper accounts of the inquiries being made into allegations that paid agents are trying to bring Chinese into the country with false entry permits. One Auckland report quoted a Chinese “leader” as saying: “I. will not betray another Chinese citizen—even if he is dishonest.” The secretary of the New Zealand Chinese Association (Mr William Wah) said yesterday that it was not the aim of the Chinese to put stumbling blocks in the way of the police. Mr Wah said that, although he was not speaking officially, he was sure all members of his association and other responsible Chinese organisations would discourage such an attitude. “It is the responsibility of the Chinese as citizens to co-operate with any investigations into illegal practices.” Few Immigrants Mr Wah said the allegations about the illegal entry of Chinese had come as a surprise to him and other Chinese. Over recent years few Chinese had entered the country because of the restrictions on immigration.

If there was an entry permit “racket” operating, it seemed unlikely that large numbers of Chinese could be coming into the country through it. The number of new arrivals was so small that any o .big increase would be quickly noticed, he said. Police investigating the entry permit allegations have interviewed a number of people. The inquiries are concentrated in Auckland and Wellington. The Controller-General of Police (Mr S. T. Barnett) said yesterday that the police had so far been unable to form an idea of the scope of the “racket.”