How Tonga Aids New Zealand
Foreword
Foreword
The following report and documents are the result of a brief visit to Tonga made at the beginning of May 1974, during the controversy in New Zealand over the immigration and the unrest of Tongan workers.
The trip was made possible by a generous private offer by people involved in the controversy to pay my fare to go to Tonga and see the situation there at first hand, and was
made even more valuable by the invitation to attend the Conference of the Free Church
of Tonga, one of whose ministers and some of whose members were deported after being
arrested in the course of a service in their local church in Auckland.
The reception I received from these people was excedingly warm and generous, and their help in arranging meetings with relevant people during the short time of my stay was invaluable.
Without mentioning any names, I would like to thank all those who helped me or offered me their views and advice.
I hope that this report will be evidence that the experience has been a valuable one, and hope that the actions of CARE and other New Zealand organisations will justify the confidence that Tongan people have expressed in us.
Joris de Bres
Secretary of CARE