NZ Denial On "Reader's Digest" Statement

A statement in a recent issue of the Reader’s Digest that people in the New Zealand-administered Tokelaus were so impressed by develop ments in American Samoa that they wished to cede their islands to the United States has brought a denial from Mr. O. P. Gabites, the NZ High Commissioner in Western Samoa, who is responsible for the administration of those islands. , The statement was made by Clarence W. Hall, a senior Reader s Digest” editor, in an article on American Samoa in the February issue of his magazine (American edition ) and July issue (Australian Hall said: “Two delegations came recently \to American Samoa ] from New Zealand’s Tokelau Islands, nosed about for days, then sought out Governor Lee to say, ‘We are sent by our council of chiefs, who decided that we would like to cede our islands and become a part of the United States’."

Questioned on Hall’s statement by PlM’s Apia correspondent in July, Mr. Gabites said that although the United States had an unrenounced sovereignty claim over the Tokelaus, he knew nothing of a Tokelau request for cession.

Mr. Gabites said he was present on Fakaofo Atoll at a full fono ( parliament ) of elders, doctors and head teachers from the three atolls of the Tokelaus at the end of June, when a formal resolution was passed for continued association with New Zealand.

Mr. Gabites added that he had never heard of any desire by the Tokelauans for association with the United States.