Talks tour on immigration

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34046, 9 January 1976, Page 2

Talks tour on immigration

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, January 8. The Minister of immigration (Mr Gill), will leave this month for meetings with South Pacific leaders aimed at slowing the flow of migrants to New Zealand. Mr Gill is scheduled to leave Wellington on January 28 for Tonga, where he is expected to spend two days. *He will also visit Western Samoa, the Cook Islands, tNiue, and Fiji. Within 10 days of his ar-* rival back, about February* ill, he is expected to fly to! Canberra for talks with the* Australian Government on the flow of permanent migrants from Australia to New' Zealand It is not clear how Mr Gill proposes to introduce a.

system which gives immigration officials a method of checking on the number of Australians intending to settle.

National Party spokesmen last year vigorously opposed suggestions that a special travel document be introduced for Tasman travellers. Such a document would enable records to be kept of incoming Australians and checks made if desired, to ensure that temporary visitors did not become permanent residents.

At present no travel documents are needed for Tasman travel, and this makes it impossible for officials to control permanent migration between the two countries.

The police on both sides of the Tasman are known to favour the introduction of some form of travel document. It would, they say, enable them more easily to keep a check on the movement of criminals and drug traffickers.