Call for new Minister

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34129, 15 April 1976, Page 15

Call for new Minister

f.Vew Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. The Auckland Committee on Racism and Discrimination has called for the replacement of the Minister of Immigration (Mr Gill).

A spokesman for the committee, Mr W. Sulli-1 van. said today that Mr Gill’s inability to discuss the illegal immigrant issue meaningfully with leaders of the Island community could lead only to alienation of Islanders. “Mr Gill’s estimate that there are 3000 British overstayers in New Zealand again underlines the selective enforcement of his department’s policy. Whv is it that only the Island community has suffered dawn raids on homes when British overstayers do not receive such inhuman treatment.” he asked. The committee had sent a. telegram to the acting Prime Minister (Mr Taiboys) re-1 questing the replacement of I Mr Gill as Minister of Immi-i gration. It now also “implores” Mr! Taiboys to listen sympathet-! icallv to the Island leaders': suggestions of amnesty, said Mr Sullivan. Mr Gill said that -no new ideas for dealing with “the overstayer problem” had emerged from last weekend’s seminar in Auckland on the subject. The seminar in Auckland had as one of its two purposes the discussion of the resettlement of people who had overstayed their temper-' ary permits to stay in New! Zealand. “It became clear that no! progress was being made to-! wards developing procedures for the orderly resettlement of overstayers . . . yet this, was at the heart of the prob- ; lem. “It was necessary there-! fore to spell out the position the Government proposed toi adopt in the eventuality that] no new arguments would em-| erge leading to a resolution

of the problem that was fair to all concerned.” Mr Gill said the seminar had turned into a call for the amnesty the Government had already declined to grant. He had been ready to hear and to discuss constructive approaches to the difficulties faced by overstayers. “I put aside my previously prepared notes 'to discuss specific points raised by speakers.” Representations made recently by the Tongan Government expressed concern that Tongan citizens were not getting the opportunity to come to New Zealand under the work permit scheme “to the extent hoped for” and this position was aggravated bv the overstayers, said Mr Gill.