Overstayers deported

Press, 2 June 1977, Page 5

Overstayers deported

Nelson reporter

Two Fijian overstayers were convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within three months when they appeared before Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., in the Magistrate’s court at Nelson.

The two men, Edward Richard Raj and Lakhi Lal Singh, each pleaded guilty to a charge of remaining in New Zealand beyond the period allowed by permit. As well as being given a deferred sentence, each was ordered to be deported. A third man, Pramod Lal, was remanded to June 7 on bail to allow further inquiries to be made concerning an application he said he had made under the terms of second amnesty. Appearing for the Labour Department, Mr J. R. Aubins said that Raj, aged 29, and Singh, aged 21, were both born in Fiji, Raj came to New Zealand on April 15 and was issued with a month’s permit. to remain in New Zealand. Singh arrived on March 5 and also had a one-month permit to stay. Both overstayed the permits, although Raj was only two weeks over.

Both had obtained air tickets to return to Fiji and both had their passports, he said. The department would not oppose bail being granted both while they were awaiting transport from New Zealand. Nor did it seek any penalty 7 other than the deportation which was mandatory under the immigration act, said Mr Aubin. Lal was in a different category, he said. He had been in New Zealand since July 2, 1974, but maintained he had made an application to remain in New Zealand under the terms of the amnesty, said Mr Aubin.

Mr C. N. Tuohy 7 , for all three men, said none had committed any crime while in New Zealand. Raj and Singh intended to go home, although they had missed the flight detailed on their tickets.

In recording the convictions, the Magistrate ordered that the air tickets and passports be handed over to the Labour Department while they were on bail awaiting deportation.

He allowed bail of $2OO with a surety of $2OO for each and they' were ordered to report three times a week.