CLAIM BY RHODESIAN

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31006, 11 March 1966, Page 1

CLAIM BY RHODESIAN

‘Victimised Woman’ (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, March 10. A Rhodesian has written to the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) claiming a Rhodesian woman was victimised by New Zealand finance officials. The letter, from Mr J. D. Powell, said he and his family settled in New Zealand in June, 1964, but decided to return home because of the climate and the “parochial and stultifying wav of life.”

Mr Powell's widowed mother and his two children left some months after him and his wife, and before she left the mother applied through her bank for permission to convert into travellers’ cheques the money the Powell family had brought to New Zealand. “As her destination had been honestly declared as Rhodesia, her application was refused,” he said “She then applied for permission to transfer her small funds to South Africa. Incredibly, this was also refused. “As there is no official political bar against the transfer of currency from New Zealand to South Africa, the only reason for the refusal can have been the knowledge of the officials concerned that my family was travelling to Rhodesia.” Mr Powell said his mother even telephoned the responsible Minister, but was told nothing could be done. Money Transferred She was finally able to get herself and the money to Rhodesia only by transferring it by way of Australia and Durban. “Is it possible that even officials can be so moronic as to suppose that this sort of thing can do any harm to the Government of Mr Smith?” asked Mr Powell. “Do they seriously imagine that they cause any inconvenience to that regime by victimising a widow and two minor children?”

I In reply, Mr Holyoake said he would not comment on Mr Powell’s “rather imtemperate observation concerning the New Zealand Government’s policy towards Rhodesia.” Anxiety Regretted He regretted the anxiety and distress the financial sanctions against Rhodesia had caused Mr Powell's mother, and said it was a great pity her representations did not appear to have been made at the point where they were most effective. “In her case, had the details been fully placed before the Minister of Finance.” Mr Holyoake said. “1 am sure an exception would have been made on humanitarian grounds.” A spokesman for the Reserve Bank said he could not comment on the individual case, but South Africa was not included in the financial sanctions against Rhodesia. There was no specific policy, but an official might stop money going to South Africa if he knew it was destined for Rhodesia.