Entry Proposals

Fiji Talks To New

Zealand On New

Fiji’s links with New Zealand were emphasised time and time

again by Fiji’s Chief Minister,

Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, during a week-long official visit he made to New Zealand in March.

There was no doubt about the Fiji leader’s feeling towards his country’s bigger southern neighbour. And it left some people wondering whether the Chief Minister would be able to find much to say when he too makes a similar visit to Fiji’s even bigger neighbour, Australia.

Opening the Easter Show in Auck land on March 22, Ratu Sir Kamisese said New Zealand had shown its friendship in many practical ways.

“There is practically no section of life in Fiji where New Zealanders are not to be found making their im pact and contribution—administration, agriculture, banking, business, the professions and more recently the new University of the South Pacific, where your magnificent gift of build ings, formerly used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, has given the university a head start in its establishment,” he said.

NZ entry proposal

Earlier during his visit, Ratu Sir Kamisese had discussions with the Minister of Immigration, Mr. Thomas Shand, on the possibility of Fiji people going to New Zealand to work in government departments and local businesses. This would have the effect of broadening their experience in the quickest possible time.

The Chief Minister said his pro posals had received a favourable re ception from Mr. Shand.

At a news conference in Welling ton, the Chief Minister expressed dis appointment that New Zealand had not fared as well as Australia in trad ing relations with Fiji.

“This is not the fault of the gov ernment, but the fault of New Zealand private enterprise, which is up against stiff Australian com petition,” he said. “I would like to see Australia and New Zealand en couraging a regional association of Pacific Island territories.

“There is a willingness on the part of the metropolitan powers to divide

territories which are very close, yet these territories have a closer asso ciation with each other than with the metropolitan powers.”

There was a certain scope for regional co-operation within the South Pacific Commission, but it would be difficult to reform and re vitalise. He said one forum was needed in the commission where both the metropolitan powers and the Islands territories could speak as equals.

On the matter of Fiji’s exports to New Zealand, Ratu Sir Kamisese urged the New Zealand Prime Minister to encourage two items in particular passionfruit and ready made clothing such as shirts.

By coincidence, the Chief Minister’s comments on trading be tween Fiji, Australia and New Zealand came close to those of Mr.

W. R. Day, leader of a New Zealand trade mission which visited Fiji during the week the Fiji leader was away.

Commenting on trade relations be tween New Zealand and Australia, Mr. Day—a director of the biggest engineering group in New Zealand, Cable Price Downer —said that re cently Australia had allowed entry of a lot of New Zealand goods for merly barred by tariff restrictions.

“They want to increase reciprocal trade between the two countries,” he said. “If you extend that principle, there is no reason at all why Aus tralia, which has the greatest share of the Island trade, should object to New Zealand sharing the Island market.”