Visa reintroduction ‘backward step’

Press, 19 February 1987, Page 3

Visa reintroduction ‘backward step’

PA Wellington The Government’s decison to return to tighter entry requirements for Tongan, Fijian, and Western Samoan' nationals is a backward step, says the Race Relations Conciliator, Mr Wally Hirsh. A recommendation by Mr Hirsh, in August, that visas be abolished for visitors from these territories was one reason behind the Government’s decision to change requirements on December 1 and allow no-visa, three-month visiting rights. Mr Hirsh, who spent several months last year studying immigration enforcement, said New Zealand’s immigration laws were discriminatory against Pacific Islanders. Among other things, he recommended that visas be abolished for visitors from Tonga, Fiji and Western Samoa and that the sponsorship system applying to visitors from developing countries be

reviewed. Mr Hirsh said yesterday the Race Relations Office regretted that the Government had found it necessary to go back to the preDecember scheme. Both the Government and his office favoured visa abolition and freeing up the sponsorship scheme.

“This new move again makes immigration ‘ an issue which will cause stress and tension in community relations and will be seen by many as a return to conditions which only four months ago were thought to be inappropriate,” he said.

Mr Hirsh said his office saw the move as a backward step made to cope with a particular set of circumstances. He hoped “we will be able to move forward again on this issue in the near future.”

In Auckland, Air New Zealand said it flew al-

most 30 special services from Tonga to Auckland in the 11 weeks Pacific Islanders could enter New Zealand without a visa. Most of the Boeing 737 flights flew to Tonga empty and returned full, bringing more than 3000 Islanders into New Zealand.

Western Samoa’s national carrier, Polynesian Airlines, also said it ran 16 specials between Samoa, Tonga and. Auckland as well as its 13 scheduled flights. ’

An Air New Zealand spokesman, Mr Bob Wallace, said the extra flights were run “to meet a market need.”

The services were in addition to Air New Zealand’s two weekly flights from Tonga. Thousands of Tongans rushed for tickets to New Zealand, when entry restrictions were removed on December 1.