Sir Guy critical of N.Z. racial attitudes

Press, 2 August 1977, Page 7

Sir Guy critical of N.Z. racial attitudes

I PA Wellington I New' Zealand have been (criticised for the racial attitudes they sometidy adopt. The recently retired Chief Ombudsman and former High Commissioner to Western Samoa, Sir Guy Powles. was addressing the annual conference of Volunteer! Service Abroad at Welling-! ton. Sir Guy said that New (Zealanders had a mixed-up philosphy of race, which al- ! lowed many of them to adopt “a settler mentality.” I He said that this gave a I feeling of kinship with white ! settler minorities, and one ' heard reference to “our Rhodesian cousins.” He said that New Zea(land’s blend of imperialism | and peternalism towards the i Pacific about the turn of thei I century was still partly with us, but New’ Zealand was not “a welcome fairy god-' (mother” in any of the islands! i it once ruled. Pacific people saw New 'Zealanders as obstinate, i hard, insensitive, and selfish. I ! However, there were' (“flashes of light given byl i such organisations as i JV.S.A.” Referring to last year’s! overstayer issue Sir Guys said that New Zealanders'; were “led to believe by a! political party seeking i power” that it would be in!

1 the national interest to I return to the Islands many! 1 thousands of people who' ■ had come here. . He said that this policy ‘ was accepted by New Zear landers. The manner in* which attempts were made j to carry it out gave “very; 1 grave offence to the Island; "(people.” • Sir Guy said that the! friendship of the Island r people in the last 25 years ) had not been won easily, ■ and it was bitter to see the! i laboriously created fruits of! ’ some dedicated New Zealan-j i ders thrown away in a, ■ breath of anger and unthink-! • ing selfishness. He said that what New i Zealanders became — theirj . social, political, and moral development — would beof| great importance to the , people of the Pacific. I Referring to reported! moves io wdden New Zea-ii (land’s immigration, and pos-! jsibly take in people from 1 iSouth Africa, Sir Guy said); that this should never be ; (done by perpetuating a! j second-class citizenry ini .(New Zealand or in our ineighoouring countries. (, I Immigration would be the 1 (most difficult subject NewL ■Zealand had to face in the next 25 years, he said, ]

11 “In no way would I accept lan immigration policy that ( (hindered the devlopment of iall our citizens,” Sir Guy | said. “I hope our policymakers will have vision.” Turning to trade and aid in the Pacific, Sir Guy said (that Island countries were j losing their psychological 'dependence on their former ; masters, and he cited interest in the Pacific from Russia. Japan, the United (States and possibly China. ! New Zealand was losing I its leading position, he said, i pointing to Australia’s grow- ( ing new effort in the Pacific, I with a heavy aid commitl ment totalling S6OM in the next three years. i New Zealand had become (“somewhat hysterical” about I some of its trade imbalances with Australia, but he was I sure Pacific countries (wanted to balance their (trade just as much. The favourable trade balance between New Zealand 'and the Pacific countries almost invariably exceeded New Zealand’s aid grant. Examining the substantial trade balance figures, it was 1 o! vious that a large part of .New Zealand’s aid to the* (Islands found its way into! the pockets of the New Zea-i land exporters.