Originally from Western Samoa, Lesa was working as a kitchen hand in Wellington when she was threatened with deportation. She took her case for citizenship to court and in 1982, after a five year battle, a Privy Council ruling found her a citizen of New Zealand. Her barristers wew George Rosenberg and Dr George Paterson Barton, Q.C., from Wellington.
Lesa, Falema'i, active 1982
There are 2 related items to this topic
Manuscript
Rosenberg, George, fl 1970-1980s : Papers relating to Falema'i Lesa and New Zealand cit...
Date: 1980-1999
By: Rosenberg, George, active 1970-1980s
Reference: MS-Group-2182
Description: Collection comprises papers relating to the Special Committee on Overstayers in 1970s-80s and lawyer George Rosenberg's legal papers regarding the Privy Council case he represented on behalf of Falema'i Lesa. Includes correspondence, legal papers, reports, leaflets, newspaper cuttings, ephemera and address list. Source of title - Supplied by Library Accompanying material - Back file contains notes from Field Librarian and background information used for arrangement and description work. In July 1982, Falema'i Lesa, with her barristers George Rosenberg and George Paterson Barton, successfully appealed her visa overstay conviction to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The Special Committee on Overstayers was established to find funding for the legal case. The Privy Council ruling stated that all Western Samoans born between 1924 and 1948 were British subjects, and in 1949 they and their descendants had become New Zealand citizens. Subsequently a Protocol to the Treaty of Friendship between the government of New Zealand and the Government of Western Samoa was signed on 21 August 1982, and the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 was passed on 14 September 1982. The Act overturned the Privy Council ruling and granted New Zealand citizenship to all Western Samoan citizens who were in New Zealand on 14 September 1982 or those who arrived in New Zealand as permanent residents after that date. Quantity: 13 folder(s). 0.13 Linear Metres. Provenance: George Rosenberg handed on his files relating to Privy Council case to Ms Masoe when he was leaving for overseas.
Online
Image
Falema'i Lesa having just won her case for citizenship with the Privy Council - Photogr...
Date: 20 July 1982
From: Dominion Post (Newspaper): Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post and Dominion newspapers
By: Avery, Peter, active 1982
Reference: EP/1982/2359-F
Description: Falema'i Lesa, having just won her case for New Zealand citizenship with the Privy Council, photographed with Margaret Beare at the office of Lesa's lawyer, Mr Rosenberg of Newtown, Wellington, on 20 July 1982 by Evening Post staff photographer Peter Avery. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s) individual image on a 35mm negative strip. Physical Description: Cellulose triacetate negative, 35mm Finding Aids: Print in Turnbull Library Pictures Evening Post illustrations file at EP-Politics-Immigration-Refugees-Evacuees-04.