Writing a letter. This is to Gustav Guttenbeil. He was writing a letter to the New Zealand Government trying to find a way back in to Tonga as he was interned.

Alexis

130 PT England School

1072_

06/05/2015

Dear Gustav Guttenbeil…

Malo e lelei Gustav. My name is Alexis. Recently I have heard the letter that you wrote to the New Zealand Government. Back when you were interned to New Zealand many years ago.

I would like to say that I am so very sorry that you got interned into New Zealand leaving all  of your family behind in Tonga. I am also sorry that you had to live in cold and not very well conditions. If I got brought to New Zealand from another country I would want to be well looked after, living in great conditions and my health would be well. But I do understand that you wouldv'\e wanted that too, but it may not have been like that back in those days with the war going on.

I do have a question though, did you know that you were going to get interned?  Or did you just hop on the boat not knowing that you were heading for New Zealand.

Either way you shouldn’t have been interned when your whole life was back in Tonga. I am sorry if this letter may possibly bring back some bad memories from that time but I would just really like to talk to you about what had happened back then.

Did you ever think that you wouldn’t get back to Tonga? Did you ever give up hope that you may never get back to Tonga?  Because whatever happens, in life...  Never give up hope!

Yours Sincerely,

Alexis Ashby