RETURNED PASSENGER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 293, 8 November 1934, Page 6

RETURNED PASSENGER.

QUESTION IN THE HOUSE

WELLINGTON, Nov. 8.

The statement that the New Zealand authorities were unaware of the reason why Mr Gerald Griffin, of Wellington, had been refused admittance to the Commonwealth of Australia, was made by the Minister of Justice (Hon. J. G. Cobbe) when replying to an urgent question addressed to him by Mr P. Fraser, in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr Fraser asked, inter alia, whether the Minister considered that the education test in Dutch to which Mr- Griffin was submitted as a condition of landing in Australia was a fair method to adopt, and whether he considered the locking up of Mr Griffin in his cabin and his subsequent transfer from the Monowai to the Marama under police escort was the kind of treatment that a New Zealand citizen was entitled to. The Minister said lie only received the question a few minutes before the House met and in those circumstances it was quite impossible for him to obtain full details of the case. He had, however, been able to secure some information. No request for Mr Griffin’s return to the Dominion was made by the New Zealand authorities, who had no information as to the reason why he was refused admittance to the Commonwealth.