Islanders In New Zealand
p. 67 · Read in the full issue
New Zealand
About 6,500 islanders from the Cook, Niue and Tokelau Islands were living in New Zealand at March 31, 1963, says the annual report of the NZ Department of Island Territories.
Of these more than half live in the Auckland metropolitan area, although there are small communities in Wellington, Hawke’s Bay and Tokoroa, and some, especially Cook Islanders, are widely scattered throughout New Zealand as far south as Invercargill.
The number of islanders arriv ing in New Zealand during 1962 —either as visitors or for long term residence —was less than in previous years, there being 563 from the Cook Islands and 176 from Niue.
On the whole their health and general conduct is good, says the report, and the majority find little difficulty in adapting them selves to their new environment.
In addition to welfare services provided by the Departments of Education, Justice, Maori Affairs and Labour, widespread welfare work amongst islanders in New Zealand is carried out through church organisations, of which the Pacific Islanders’ Congrega tional Church and the Roman Catholic Church are numerically the most important. To assist these two churches in their welfare activities among the islanders the Government makes available an annual subsidy.