Abuse of Student-

Permits?

N.Z. Report of Fiji Indian Stu dents Setting up in Business in the Dominion

I_, , Suva, Nov. 20.

1 has been alleged by certain New Zealand newspapers recently, that some Indian students from Fiji have abused the “student-permit” system, in that they have set up businesses or taken up work in the Dominion.

The student-permit system was intro duced in order that students, including Indians, from the Pacific Islands and other Territories might enter New Zea land without fulfilling some of the usual immigration conditions. Normally, they would have to lodge a £3OO bond, but this has been replaced by a £5O deposit lodged with the Education Department.

The charge levelled at the Indians has created some excitement in Fiji, where the Indians have sprung to the defence of their countrymen, and deny that the permit system has been abused.

At the same time, it has been reported from Sydney that one Indian has reached Australia via New Zealand presumably with a student-permit, and has set up a flourishing business there. If this is the case, the Indian in question cannot hope to escape for long the attention of the officials who administer the “White Australia” policy, and this will make it much more difficult for genuine Indian scholars, who are now admitted to Aus tralia for specified periods, to obtain per mission to enter that country.