Skating coach’s visa lapsed

Press, 7 April 1984, Page 9

Skating coach’s visa lapsed

An American roller skating coach employed by Rollerland, Ltd, at its Wainoni Road rink had not been dismissed but was no longer being employed because his visa had expired, said the rink’s owner last evening.

Mr Randy Gray said that he had called at the rink on Thursday to collect his pay and was told his job had finished. The rink owner, Mr Paul Rushton, had told him he was losing his job because he was not doing it well enough, Mr Gray saidy

Mr Gray said yesterday he had been brought to New Zealand from the United States by Rollerland for a year. The company had bought an open ended airline ticket for him and was paying him $25,000 for the year, a sum which included the use of a car and payment of his accommodation.

“A couple of months ago they (Rollerland) said I was not pulling my weight,” Mr Gray said. “This was due to the lack of promotion of skating for learner skate classes. This is the time of the season that garner

skater classes are down.” Mr Gray said he had been surprised to look in his passport last week-end and discover that his New Zealand visa had lapsed on March 2. It had now been renewed until today on a visitor basis.

Mr Gray consulted a lawyer yesterday and a letter was sent to Mr Rushton giving him until Monday to resolve the matter. Last evening Mr Rushton said he had received the letter and was “sorting out a reply.” When asked why Mr Gray was no longer. working at

the rink, Mr Rushton said, “His visa expired. He was not really dismissed.”

Parents of children he had coached had signed a petition to allow him to stay in New Zealand and about 20 had written references that had been sent to the Labour Department.

It would be hard to return to the rink, Mr Gray said, “but I am here for the skaters.” He said he would start looking for somewhere to skate, and said that the children he had been teaching were willing to skate anywhere, even in a hall.