RICE-DAVIES VISIT No Decision Till Petition Heard

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30826, 11 August 1965, Page 8

RICE-DAVIES VISIT No Decision Till Petition Heard

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 10.

The Minister of Immigration (Mr Shand) said that because Miss Mandy RiceDavies “has acquired a very considerable notoriety for her earlier activities” she would not be given permission to land in New Zealand without reference to the head office of the Immigration Department.

Mr Shand said every person entering New Zealand must have a permit granted by the Minister of Immigration. Permit procedure was simplified as far as possible, and many Visitors were unaware they had received permits. “This applies particularly to visitors from Australia and the United Kingdom to whom permission is normally granted without question, provided they appear to comply with the health and security standards generally laid down,” he said. Necessary information was taken from the form which the visitor filled in on the ship or aircraft before landing.

“It is clear there is considerable opposition to granting Miss Rice-Davies permission, and this opposition has now taken the form of a petition to Parliament, asking for permission to be refused,” Mr Shand said. Under the law the Minister of Immigration had discretion to grant or refuse such permission as he saw fit.

“On Friday of last week application for permission was made directly to me.

“I replied that as there is a petition before Parliament which Parliament has not yet had an opportunity to consider, it would be improper for me to grant permission or to indicate any intention to grant permission until Parliament has had an opportunity of hearing evidence and considering the petition.” Mr Shand said that in the circumstances he had advised the promoters of the tour against entering into any commitments based on the assumption Miss Rice-Davies would be permitted to enter New Zealand.

The New Zealand agent for Miss Rice-Davies, Mr Andrew Flower, said the Reserve Bank had refused an application for part-payment of Miss Davies’ contract to be sent to England. He said Mr Shand had told him the petitions received by the Government would first have to be considered. Mr Flower said Mr Shand’s opinion that Miss Rice-Davies was trading on her reputation gained during the Profumo affair was absolute nonsense.”