‘Visa Not Refused By Department’

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30957, 13 January 1966, Page 15

‘Visa Not Refused By Department’

*\eu> Zealand Press Association) ELLINGTON, January 12. I The Immigration Department denied today I that it was responsible for the American wife ' of a New Zealander being stopped from board- j ing a New Zealand-bound aeroplane at Honolulu.

Yesterday, Mr G. L. Barker,; » Lower Hutt travel agent,! criticised the Immigration Department for declining t > issue! his wife—who holds an Ante-! rican passport—with a reentry permit before a trip to the United States in DecemMr II Parsonage, the See-! r ary of Labour, said today! that the department had no record of Mrs Barker having! applied for a re-entry certificate. Nor did any member of; the staff remember an oral en-i qniry. "Had Mrs Barker lodged a! formal application the depart-! t lent without hesitation; would have endorsed her; passport exempting her from t-,e entry-permit requirements as the wife of a New Zealand citizen, even though after 28 sears’ residence here she preferred to travel on a United States passport,” he said. Mr Parsonage was surprised to learn that a travel agent ef Mr Barker's standing was not aware of this facility. "In accordance with an instruction to boarding inspectors at New Zealand ports of entry Mrs Barker would have had no difficulty whatsoever in re-entering New Zealand. "But the Department cannot accept the responsibility for the actions of the transport operator in not allowing her to travel,” said Mr Parsonage. "The department's attitude is indicated by the fact that immediately I heard, through the Prime Minister's office, of Mrs Barker's predicament a cable was sent to the British Consul, Honolulu, authorising him to issue a visa,” Mr Parsonage said. Mr Barker said that earlier last .rear before a trip to Australia both he and Mrs Barker went to the Immigration Department to get a reentry permit. "A girl there told us it was not necessary but we said we wanted one because we would feel more secure,” he said. Mr Barker said that on returning there was no difficulty in re-entering. “So, before the trip to the United States we

; did not apply because we had jeome back in twice without* trouble.” Officiousness appeared to! ■ have been the reason for the; (trouble in Honolulu, Mr i Barker said. j The British Consul had re-1 J fused to help although Mr! J Barker had offered to sign a! !letter of indemnity if Mrs! 11 Barker was refused entry to; ; New Zealand. •I Neither airline officials nor ‘the British Consul would ■ | listen to him when he said his | wife was a New Zealand reiisident or when he showed (them evidence that she had i been admitted to New Zea- • I land several times previously, i he said.