Review Moe relationship

Press, 25 October 1985, Page 26

Review Moe relationship

PA Wellington New Zealand’s relationship with Niue will be thoroughly reviewed, says the Acting Prime Minister,. Mr Palmer.. The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, and the Premier of Niue, Sir Robert Rex, had agreed that the review of the special relationship between the two countries would be made by six people. , Mr Palmer said the six would be the former principal of Lincoln College and former chairman of the Aid Advisory Committee, Sir James Stewart; the group managing director of L. D. Nathan, Auckland, Mr Bruce Cole; the Director of External Aid, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Harle Freeman-Greene; the Secretary to the Government of Niue, Mr Terry Chapman; the director of Niue’s Department of Economic Development, Mr

Toke Talagi; and a consultant in international and constitutional law, Mrs Alison Quentin-Baxter. Mr Palmer said that Niue was annexed in 1901 and was part of New Zealand until 1974 when it became self-governing in free association with New Zealand. “This means that Niue is intimately linked to, but otherwise distinctly separate from, New Zealand.” Mr Palmer said the review would be extensive. “But the main focus will be on whether the special relationship can assist the maintenance of a viable community in Niue.” Chain migration to New Zealand began after World War 11. “It reached significant proportions by 1974 when the population dropped to 4000. The resident population has since diminished further to under 3000,” Mr Palmer said.