LANDING REFUSED
NEW ZEALAND VISITOR ACTION BY AUSTRALIAN POLICE QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, November 7. Reference to the exclusion of Gerald Griffin from Australia was made in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Mr P. Fraser asked the Minister of Justice, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, the following six questions.— Whether the Minister has read a letter from Griffin to myself, a copy of which was left at his office yesterday and which described in detail the harsh and unfair treatment meted out by the Commonwealth authorities to Griffin. Whether he considers that the education test in Dutch to which Griffin was submitted, as a condition of landing in Australia, was a fair method to adopt and whether he considers the locking up of 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 is entitled to. Whether the Minister can state what part, if any, the New Zealand police authorities took in notifying the Commonwealth authorities of Griffin’s impending visit and whether they acted in collusion with the latter in taking steps to prevent Griffin landing in Australia.
Whether it is customary for New Zealand police authorities to notify the Commonwealth police of proposed visits to Australia of New Zealand citizens who have never on any occasion come into conflict with New Zealand law. Whether the Government will ask for an explanation of the extraordinary and unfair treatment meted out to Griffin by the Commonwealth authorities and for adequate reparation and compensation for Griffin. Whether the Government will take steps to safeguard all New Zealand citizens visiting Australia from such harsh and unfair treatment.
The Minister said that no request had been made by New Zealand authorities for the return of Griffin to New Zealand and no information was available as to the reason why he was refused admittance to the Commonwealth.
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Bibliographic details
Southland Times, Issue 22473, 8 November 1934, Page 8
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325LANDING REFUSED Southland Times, Issue 22473, 8 November 1934, Page 8
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