‘Minister threatened Samoan overstayers’

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34106, 19 March 1976, Page 2

‘Minister threatened Samoan overstayers’

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND. March 18.

Physical punishment and threats of police action allegedly reinforced a system which kept a Samoan overstayer paying out most of his wages to a church minister for nearly a year.

In the Papakura Magistrate’s Court a 47-year-old man faces nine charges of being party to the commission of an offence by nine Samoans who overstayed temporary permits.

Al! the charges have been denied in the hearing before Mr K. H. Mason, S.M. A prosecution witness, Mr Peauala Sua. said he arrived in the country on November 11, 1974, with eight others as part of a group here on three-month temporary permits to earn money for a church building in Samoa. He was met by the accused at the airport and stayed in his Otahuhu home with "over 20 others." He said that besides the $2O a week board each was required to pay, he gave his unopened pay packet (about $BO - $9O) to the accused, and was given only $5 a week to live on. He saw all the others make similar payments to the accused. Nine arrested Two other rules imposed by the accused were no visiting of own families in New Zealand, and no roaming around the country, said the witness.

"He told us we had to obey instructions. If we did not, he would inform the police and we would be sent back to Samoa — the whole group,” said the witness. Witness said he thought he had contributed about $2OOO to the building fund. He did not like giving his money to the accused because he had worked hard for it. The witness was one of nine in a group arrested on October 7 and convicted on a charge of overstaying on November 12 last year. The nine were remanded to appear again on January 12, 1976, Mr Sua was the onlyone to appear.

The accused held his passport and travel papers and he was too scared to ask for them back. Asked by the police prosecutor. Mr H. K. C. Steele, why he was scared, witness replied: “Because he is the reverend.” Samoan custom, he said, greatly respects a minister. The witness himself had a title of a high chief. But a minister ranked higher. Earlier, the witness said that the accused had imposed a fine of $lOO for anyone found drinking in a hotel.

Mr Sua said he had gone drinking himself one night.

When he returned the brother of the wife of the accused gave him “a hiding.” After asking once before for his passport, he was scared he might get another hiding if he asked again.

Another witness, Mrs Serapia Schmidt, said the accused had paid for her air fare to New Zealand in June, 1975. The accused had kept her passport and documents. He did not renew her three-monthly permit, even though he said he would. She was arrested on October 7, 1975, on a charge of overstaying and convicted yesterday in the Otahuhu Magistrate’s Court.

After the prosecution evidence had been given, Mr Mason found that the accused had a case to answer in respect of all nine charges. Taking the witness stand, the accused said he was a naturalised New Zealander who had lived here for more than 10 years. He was an ordained minister. Money ‘for chapel’ The accused said he had left for Samoa by air two days before the witness, Sua, said he had been met by the accused at Auckland Airport on his arrival. He was in Samoa for two to three weeks. When he returned, 12 people, including himself and his wife, lived in the eight-bedroom house in Otahuhu. He only asked $2O a week board from the boarders.

He did not touch any of their pay envelopes, and he only took money individual members of the group gave to him for remittance home through the Reserve Bank for the chapel.

The accused said that some weeks the witness, Sua, did not pay any board. He kept a record of how much board people paid. Sua owed him about $lBO board. It was a Samoan custom, said the accused, that allowed a guest to stay at a home and “eat, sleep and live — for nothing.” He was not aware that permits were only granted for three and six months duration for Samoans. He denied ever ke.eping Sua’s passport. A $lOO fine rule for breaking any rules was, he said, imposed by the Samoan member of Parliament from the district of the church group members. The M.P. imposed the rule during a visit to New Zealand last year. Sometimes the accused would meet the church group and offer a few words of advice, warning them of

the dangers of drinking too much, because they might bej picked up by the police. j Ministers and members of' the church in Samoa hadl asked him to assist the visiting church group during its stay here, said the accused. Questioned by Mr Mason on his records of the payment made by the members of the chu.ch group for board and the chapel building fund, the accused said his wife recorded the payments under his direction. Asked why some six payments entries had been altered, the accused replied that his addition had been' wrong when first counting. ! The accused said he ar-| ranged for the air travel tickets for the. nine church group members through a travel agency. He guaranteed the tickets on credit. The arrangement was that the group members would then pay back the agency from their wages. The airline issued the tickets in the name of the agency. With two defence witnesses still to be heard, Mr Mason adjourned proceedings until March 26, with bail for the accused to continue.