A FOOL’S PARADISE

Grey River Argus, 6 August 1937, Page 11

A FOOL’S PARADISE

SUNDAY ISLAND Lesson of Returned Settlers [Per Press Association], WELLINGTON, August 5. The return to New Zealand, on the Maui Pomare, of the refugee settlers from Sunday Island, and statements made by the men, were referred today by the Acting-Minister of External Affairs, Hon F. Langstone, after he had a conference with them. “Information supplied by the\settlers,” said the Minister, “confirms, in no uncertain' manner, my impression that any attempt to settle ’ the island is merely a process of collecting money from a few who will always be found to respond to the allurements of an island home in Pacific. There may be such island homes, out they are not to be found at Sunday Island. I sincerely hope that we have heard the last of these ineffective efforts to settle the small area of freehold land on this island. Not only were the men unable to sustain themselves decently, and forced by circumstances to appeal to the Government to take them back to the mainland, but they arrived in this country practically destitute. Thej' had to be surrounded by the Smith Family organisation, pending employment being found for them, through the Wellington Placement officials. ~

“No doubt, denouements of ‘ the kind have their uses, and I am hopeful, as the result of the publicity given to this one, that no other members of our community will be carried away by alluring pen-pictures painted by prospectuses, or by agents, and spend their savings on "what has been proved to be a tool’s paradise.