Money allowed to leave N.Z.

Press, 4 January 1978, Page 14

Money allowed to leave N.Z.

PA Auckland More than 50 Pacific Islanders were caught

smuggling a total of $15,000 out of the country at Auckland Airport the week before Christmas.

But in spite of what a Reserve Bank official in Auckland said would “normally be a police case,” no money was confiscated, nobody was arrested, and all left with the money. The official said: "It would be contravening the Exchange Control Regulations; normally the funds are confiscated and the matter investigated.” People leaving the country may take only $5O in New Zealand currency with them — anything more requires Reserve Bank approval. The assistant-collector of customs at the airport (Mr

H. Hamer), said that those involved were Pacific Islanders — mainly Samoans. He said 10 of the 50 in several flights received “belated approval” after being referred to bank officials. The others were allowed to travel, apparently because they would probably have received approval “in the long run.” Many did not fully understand exchange control regulations.

“They are pretty generous — a whip round the family for Christmas presents was probably what the money was for,” he said. New Zealand had a “fairly generous” policy towards remitting money to the Islands, Mr Hamer said. If the people had been let go, then this would have been in line with a policy of allowing transactions that would normally have been referred.