Samoan leader sees prejudice build-up

Press, 21 July 1976, Page 6

Samoan leader sees prejudice build-up

By

CEDRIC MENTIPLAY

Wellington The Prime Minister of Western Samoa (Taisi Tupuola Tufuga Efi) admitted during an interview yesterday that he lielieved prejudice was building up between Pacific Islanders and New Zealanders.

He said, however, that this was to be expected, and that individuals could triumph over it.

Mr Efi would not be drawn on whether Pacific people believed New Zealand was right in sending the All Black team to South Africa, but he left the impression that the Pacific reaction was

I not favourable. i "I have a feeling about the i general reaction of Pacific peoples about sending the team,” he said. “But that is over and the team is there. “There is something heartening about the attitude of Pacific people. They rejoice when your team wins, and are disappointed when it loses. There is a family feeling . . .” Asked whether he would .allow a Western Samoan I rugby team to visit South Africa, Mr Efi said: “I would I like to cross that bridge when we come to it. Things may have changed by then.” , Immigration was one of the contentious issues between New’ Zealand and Western Samoa, he said. Mr Efi is not a newcomer

to New Zealand; he was educated here. He qualified his remarks about prejudice by saying: “This is a thing every person has to face. It exists, but good leadership can dispose of it. This is perhaps what the Pacific Forum is all about.” Mr Efi will be a guest on Mr Muldoon’s aircraft in the flight from Auckland to Fiji and from Fiji to Nauru for the Pacific Forum conference on Monday.

He countered most questions by saying: “I shall have five hours of conversation with your Prime Minister from Fiji to Nauru. After that I shall know more.”

(Mr Muldoon’s remarks, Page 2)