Migrants in their family contexts: Application of a methodology

The composition of immigrant families is a topic which has attracted considerable public and political attention in recent years. In the late 1980s concern was expressed over the size of some households of Pacific Island peoples in New Zealand. In the 1990s a more persistent concern has been with the incidence of what have been called ‘astronaut’ families – families where one of the partners is persistently absent overseas. The ‘astronaut’ family phenomenon has been most commonly associated with Chinese immigrants from Hong Kong and Taiwan. This report uses a novel methodology to examine the incidence of ‘astronaut’ families in New Zealand at the time of the 1991 and 1996 censuses. The methodology is described in some detail in the first section, and it is hoped that the careful attention to the procedures used to examine migrants, who have been identified in the census, in their family contexts will stimulate further research in this area. The second part of the report presents the findings of an initial exploration of 1991 and 1996 census data using the methodology outlined in the first section. It is clear from results of this inquiry that the ‘astronaut’ family phenomenon is well established amongst some components of New Zealand’s Asian community. However, it is not as widespread as media comment in 1995 and 1996, before the 1996 election, suggested. It is important to develop ways of assessing characteristics of immigrant family structures in order to counter unsubstantiated assertions which promote negative stereotypes of immigrant communities. This research, which builds on a project supported by the Marsden Fund in 1997, suggest one fruitful avenue for making more extensive use of census data on immigrants in New Zealand to provide more objective assessment of “migrants in social context”

Polynomial Diffeomorphisms of \C^2. VIII: Quasi-Expansion

This paper continues our investigation of the dynamics of polynomial diffeomorphisms of C^2. We introduce a dynamical property of polynomial diffeomorphisms that generalizes hyperbolicity in the way that semi-hyperbolicity generalizes hyperbolicity for polynomial maps of the complex plane.Comment: 43 pages, 2 figure

Optimising the seed production cycle of Delphinium elatum L. : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Plant Biology at Massey University, Palmerston North

Delphinium elatum L. (Ranunculaceae) hybrids are developed by Dowdeswell's Delphiniums located at 692 Brunswick Road. Wanganui (www.delphinium.co.nz), who grow delphiniums for seed export. Development of new cultivars is important for commercial purposes, and requires development of high quality breeds. The main objectives of this study were to determine reasons for variable seed set and low germination in commercial D. elatum hybrids and determine optimal parameters for seed germination and storage. Seed set was investigated by examining pollen viability, carpel structure, and pollen tube growth in vitro and in vivo. Seed structure was determined by paraffin embedding and sectioning of seeds. Results investigating variable seed set were inconclusive. Seed set is limited by pollen viability and age. Pollen viability is low (below 50%) in most cultivars, and pollen tubes growth rate is variable between cultivars and individual pollen grains. Ovule development showed no abnormalities. Germination-promoting treatments were used to improve germination in D. elatum. Stratification (5°C) and application of gibberellic acid both improved germination in D. elatum cultivars. Chilling at 5°C reduced germination time in all cultivars, and increased total germination in cv. LB01130x. Storage trials were carried out for 12 months, with seeds stored at room temperature or 5°C in open and closed, water impermeable, aluminium bags. Storage trials determined that at low temperature storage (5°C) seed germinability is retained for up to 12 month. Storage at room temperature leads to seed deterioration and viability loss. Application of GA3 improved germination in seed stored at 5°C

Responding to the urbanisation of Melanesia’s populations: a critical 21st century challenge

Rowan Callick’s (1993) deliberately provocative ‘doomsday scenario’ for an increasingly impoverished and marginalised Pacific by 2010 was primarily designed to challenge a prevailing tendency at the time towards complacency about medium-term prospects for a region where the great majority of the population remained ruralresident