Family United After 20 Years

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 16

Family United After 20 Years

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, September 9. After 20 years of working to build a home and to raise the fare to fly his family from India, an Indian man was united with his wife and four children in Auckland today.

“1 am very, very happy,” said Mr M. Soma after greeting his family at Auckland International Airport. “It is good to have the family united and in New Zealand.” Mr Soma’s father came to New Zealand more than 50 years ago, before there was any Immigration Act, and Mr Soma joined him in 1938. By the customary family arrangement, Mr Soma was betrothed, while still a boy, to a girl in India he had never seen. He was married in 1945, and later made several long visits to India to see his family. Mr Soma established a fruiterer's business in Manurewa, built a house and became a leader in the Indian community. He is the youngest ever to become president of

the Auckland Indian Association and he played a major part in forming the Indian Sports Association. Two years ago he decided all was ready for his family to move to a new life in New Zealand. In a protracted battle with the Immigration Department he filled in “hundreds” of forms. Finally everything was cleared. He arranged for his family to leave their home in the Gujarat state, north of Bombay, and fly to New Zealand. Professor J. H. M. Salmon, of the University of Waikato, has been appointed New Zealand academic representative on the standing committee of the Royal Military College, Duntroon. —(P.A.)