No Entry Permit Needed

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30146, 1 June 1963, Page 12

No Entry Permit Needed

(N.Z Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 31. An easing of the regulations governing the entry of United States citizens to New Zealand to facilitate tourist formalities had a repercussion in the Magistrate’s Court al Auckland today when Mr F. McCarthy, S.M., dismissed two informations against an American for entering and remaining in New Zealand without authority.

The charges of remaining in New Zealand after the period of his temporary permit had expired and alternatively of entering New Zealand on October 29. 1958 without obtaining an entry permit. were preferred against Stanley Jerome Applebaum. aged 36. a land agent, a citizen of the United State*.

Applebaum, who was represented by Mr M. F. Chil-

well, pleaded not guilty. Mr C. M. Nicholson appeared for the Labour Department Athol Wilfred Smith, a Customs Department officer, said Applebaum came within a certain class of tourist who was allowed to enter New Zealand without an entry permit

The witness said the department could not trace the authority giving permission for American tourists to come into the country without a permit He said that if the tourist could show evidence of a return booking. he would be allowed in on a visitor’s permit

The policy was a departmental one but it was quite on the cards that the direction could have come from the Government.

The Magistrate said that Mr Nicholson conceded that the charge of staying on Unoriginal permit was made wrongly. Such being the case, that was the end of that matter Applebaun) could not be charged with remaining in breach of a permit which was illegal to start with.

"On the second charge there is a curious Section 13 in the act which says tha' the Minister may grant exemptions to the act,” he said.

What is happening and has happened for some time past is that nationals of the United States of European extraction are allowed into the country without a permit.

"There is some loose arrangement that they must leave within six months.” said the Magistrate. “But he was not given any permit and was allowed to Land in bre *d> act. The reathat he was allowed in might have been that it was clearly understood that it was his intention to depart again.”

The Magistrate said he could only assume that the Minister had waived the requirements of the set in Applebaum’s favour and the information mu- be dismissed

He did no< know of the department’s reason for not wanting Applebaum to remain. nor- was he conoeme;! to know But it did seem to him from the correspondence placed before him that the application had been the subject of much serious

consideration by the Minof Immigration (Mr Shaod) and his predecessor, Mr Hackett.

The Magistrate disallowed an application by Mr Chilwell for ecsts.