Tokelau People

Will Be Helped

In Move To Nz

The New Zealand Govern ment has now released detailed plans for the resettlement of the Tokelau Islanders in New Zea land over the next few years.

MORE than 200 of them will be assisted to come to New Zea land in the next two years, and larger numbers in following years, after a special group of houses is built near Taupo. There are about 2,000 Tokelauans.

The Minister for Island Territories, Mr. Hanan, said in July that in his discussions with the people of the Tokelaus last January, when he visited the group, he had confirmed that a large number of them wanted to move to NZ, where there is already a community of about 300.

Mr. Hanan said the Tokelauans had emphasised that it was their “fervent wish” to continue their as sociation with NZ, and they had described this relationship “as that between father and son”.

Mr. Hanan said the 200-odd arrivals in the first two years would come in under a pilot scheme.

Twenty-eight had already arrived, another 68 would be brought this financial year, and a further 122 in 1967-8. Most of these would be single people.

The single women would be placed in domestic employment. Work was shortly to begin on 12 houses near Taupo, to house families. Twelve families would be housed at Taupo for a year, and the men given work in nearby forestry projects. At the end of the first year they could seek other work if they wished, for another year, and then the original 12 families would be replaced by a further 12.

The Government would meet the fares of Tokelauans under the re settlement scheme, and would also outfit the new settlers.

The unmarried people would be expected to repay the cost of their outfitting from their wages. Married settlers would receive about £l2O worth of kitchen equipment and household linen, and this money would be recovered from them during their two years’ bonded service.

• See also p. 37, "NZ Denial On 'Reader's Digest 7 Statement".