Minister Criticised For Statement On Islanders

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30998, 2 March 1966, Page 8

Minister Criticised For Statement On Islanders

(N.Z. Pr«M 4«»ociation> AUCKLAND, Mar. L “An insult to thousands of New Zealand citherns” was the description given today by the secretary of the Cook Islands (New Zealand) Society, Mr T. Henry, to a statement by the Minister of Immigration, Mr Shand. The Minister had commented on Islanders who used marriage to New Zealanders as a way to remain in the country when their entry permits had expired. “It is obvious that the Minister doesn’t know anything about the people he speaks of so insultingly,” said Mr Henry. “He makes a sweeping statement using the word Islanders’ without any qualification. “There are 15,000 islanders in New Zealand who are New Zealand citizens and who don’t need permits, but if the Minister won’t say which islanders he is referring to the public might well think he is speaking about all islanders,” Mr Henry said. “If the Minister is so disturbed he shoudl name the section he is referring to. “I think his statement is an insult to New Zealand girls because, after all, marriage is a two-way process. And it is an insult to the families of those who have married islanders.” “Drastic Review” Mr Shand said yesterday that the Government might have to “review drastically” the conditions under which Pacific Islanders were permitted to visit New Zealand. Nearly 7000 islanders came to New Zealand last year to work on temporary permits. Permits were issued on the condition that the visitors left

before the permit* expired. “This practice is of considerable benefit to the economy of the islands, and of benefit to New Zealand, because these people make up a valuable seasonal labour force,” he said. Commenting on Mr Henry’s statement, Mr Shand said that his was not a general statement, but was made as a comment on a letter which the editor of an Auckland newspaper had received from a resident of Fiji whit* he proposed to publish, and had therefore been taken out of context.

“If Mr Henry had read my statement carefully, he would have seen that I was referring only to those islanders who are permitted to come here as visitors for limited periods and work during their stay,” Mr Shand said.