N.Z. Role Defended

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30855, 14 September 1965, Page 14

N.Z. Role Defended

Mr Holyoake said the New Zealand Government had had “no say” in the Cook Islands celebrations.

“They were arranged entirely by the Cook Elands Government,” Mr Holyoake said.

He was commenting on a report that the New Zealand Government would not “win any prizes for tact and diplomacy for handling the Cook Islands’ independence celebrations.” “The New Zealand Government had no say whatsoever in these celebrations,” the Prime Minister said.

He questioned the veracity of the report on “the handing-over ceremony, held in the new seat of government on Rarotonga.” The official handing-over had been done on August 4, Mr Holyoake said. Referring to an allegation that he had “insulted the new Premier, Mr Albert Henry, when he said citizens of the Cook Elands will still be citizens of New Zealand, and entitled to the righE, privileges and protection to which New Zealanders are entitled,” the Prime Minister said:

“This was the dearest wish of the Cook Islanders, that they should remain citizens of New Zealand.

“In that connexion they are entitled to the rights and protection of New Zealand citizens.”

Mr Holyoake said anyone connected with drawing up the Cook Elands’ constitution would know that the islanders had asked New Zealand to assume responsibility for protection of the islands. A report that the islands had achieved independence as a result of a United Nations investigation was “nonsense” and “just pure fabrication,” Mr Holyoake said. The self-government

granted to the Cook Islands had been a progressive move over about 10 years—a programme to bring people gradually and steadily to internal self-government. New Zealand, the Prime Minister said, had received nothing but praise from the United Nations on its handling of the matter. Mr Holyoake said it was a pity that statemenE which had no basis in fact had been introduced to describe an occasion which had been marked by “complete friendliness and good will between the Government and people of the Cook Elands and those of New Zealand.” '