WRONGLY REPORTED, THINKS MR. FRASER

Chronicle (Levin), 30 April 1948, Page 7

WRONGLY REPORTED, THINKS MR. FRASER

DUNEDIN, April 29. The Primc Minister, Mr. Fraser, made the following coiument on the repovtedt statement. of the Australian Minister of Inimigrafion, Mr. "Calwell, in the House oi" Represenfativefr at Canberra on Wednesday, ih r€j||r(mce to the, rights and status pf Ma'ct»§ vyho niay .be resiil1 iiig^fh^Atrstfalia." •*" "I feeJ- certain that there must be a serioug mistake lir'-the5 transnnssion or thc report of rentarks of the Australian Minister of Immigration in reference to the position of any of ouiv Maori citi - zens who may be ■ residing there, " he said. ' .vlf • the staleijient, as- ;it appeir. iii the Zealai.ld ;pbes§, is ; cqr.iiect'!. ' reportccl, 'tiieh there ' must ' be 'oven a •.no; e serious luisu.aderstanding on tlio part of the Miiuster. " l.am sure tha Mr. Calweil- knows that our. Maori Ne\viealanders are equal in all respects .vith our New Zealanders of Eui'opeai! descent, sociaily, politically, legally, •ducationalJv, culturaily and in citizen •hip status and rights. whether in New Zealand or abroad. Whether in civilian life and activities, or on the field ot iiattle where the_ Maoris fought s ■> aiagnilicenth", whether in work or in port, all New Zealanders, Maori oi .uropean, are equal. Any discrimina iou, indeed, any hint of discriniinatiou .g dnst klaori feilow citizens, would b>. .ndiguantly and bitterly resented b. .'vcrybody in New Zealand as an un ;Jrgi\ublc insult to our country and to ■veryone of us. So strong are our eelings of equality, friendship, socia; .nitv and common citizenship, tha. .lone of us would be prepared to accept ights or privileges ih anyr country that •: re nol availabie to every New Zeafandr, Maori or European. So certain am I that a mistake has oceurred somehow or soxnewheie, and so anxious am I to lave the matter cleared up iniinediately arul sat-isfactorily, as I am sure that it can be, that I have requested the New Zealand iljgh Conimissioner in Canberra to take the matter up with Mr. -'alwell with the view to any misunderstandiug or misrepreseutation being .idjusted. If the question of the status and -privileges of any of our Maori people residing in Australia can be calied into question, -or their residence arbitrarih' terminated owing to certain provisions in the Australian law govei'n ing the rights and periods Of residenet which could not possibly have becn in tended to have apjilication to them, re presentations on the subject can and will be made to the Australian Govern ment. I am ednlident that the idea' oi discrimination against our Maori New Zealand subjects will not be entertaineo for a monient by. Mr. Calwell ©r liU miuisterial colleagues. ' '