Samoan visit limit ‘must be changed’

Press, 18 February 1983, Page 3

Samoan visit limit ‘must be changed’

Parliamentary reporter

The Government would have to back down on its 30day limit on visits to New Zealand by Western Samoans, said the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Lange, yesterday. “The ’ Government can scarcely keep on saying. ‘You can come from Samoa at the cost of one year's average wage for your fare and stay 30 days,’ while someone else .can come from the other side of the world on a concession fare and stay for six months to a year." he said. The cash deposit of $250 a month required of all temporary visitors to New Zealand to guarantee support should also be waived because it was a “crazy" requirement,- he said. “Western Samoans are not silly — they recycle the $250 around,” he said. All temporary visitors to New Zealand must produce evidence of financial support of $250 a month. Mr Lange was asked what

the Labour Party's policy on Western Samoan immigration -would be in discussion with the Prime Minister of Western Samoa, Tofilau Eti, who will hold talks on immigration with the Government on Tuesday. What was more disturbing than the immigration issue was the economic state of Western Samoa, a situation which had not touched the conscience of New Zealanders or attracted the at? tention of the Government, Mr Lange said. Samoans could not buy rice, flour was scarce, and a black market had developed in some tinned and imported commodities.

Tofilau Eti said yesterday that he honed New Zealand would react favourably to his country's economic problems, as well as grant Samoans more generous visitors’ permits, NZPA reports. Tofilau made it clear in Auckland that the main purpose of his visit to New Zealand was to meet Mr

Muldoon because New Zealand was supposed to be Samoa's closest ally. The Western Samoan Government, and many New Zealanders of Samoan descerit, would like the New Zealand Government to increase the length of stay Samoans could have under the visitors’ permit scheme. Tofilau said. “But we are not trying to force our way in. Most of the discussions which took place in the past were (on the basis) of mutual understanding,” he said. He would like to maintain that atmosphere. The matter of aid for Western Samoa was also a matter fob the New Zealand Government.

“That does not prevent us from asking for favourable consideration." he said. When Tofilau took office the Western Samoan Government had a $2l million overdraft with the Bank of Western Samoa. Western Samoa has a foreign exchange deficit of $l3 million.