That same day, the Alexandra man received a letter on behalf of the Associate Minister of Immigration, Nikki Kaye, which said there was no decision yet on his request for a review of the immigration decision denying his wife, Aurora Glover (67), New Zealand residency.
''It's all pretty distressing, but I've got to do what I can to try and get my wife back in this country,'' he said.
He has been trying for five years to gain residency for his wife. A petition containing 130 signatures, seeking a review of her case on humanitarian grounds, was recently presented to the Minister of Immigration, Michael Woodhouse. Mrs Glover returned to her home country, the Philippines, a year ago, to sort out her mother's estate. Mrs Glover had diabetes and her condition deteriorated after she returned home, to the point where she required dialysis.
The cost of dialysis in this country, as a non-resident, is prohibitive, so she has remained in the Philippines for treatment.
''She's on one session of dialysis a week but it would cost $1200 a session here, and as a pensioner, getting $400 a week, I can't afford that,'' Mr Glover said.
Her application for residency and subsequent appeals were turned down because of her diabetes.
Mr Glover took his first trip overseas in January, to be with his wife, to see whether he could cope living in the Philippines, so the couple could be reunited but that option has now been ruled out.
''It was my first overseas trip and it'll be my last. I reckon I came close to dying while I was there; I lost 6kg in weight and was crook the whole time I was there, mostly with a lung condition. I had all the injections before I went, but still got sick.''
He will turn 90 in May and said at this stage of his life, he had hoped to be enjoying retirement and the companionship of his wife.
''Instead I'm playing more bowls than I used to, because if I sit at home on my own, I get down in the dumps about how I'm going to get my wife back here.''
Mrs Glover was equally upset about the enforced separation, he said.
''She rings twice and sometimes three times a day and she usually breaks down pretty much every time we talk.''
Mr Glover's letter from Ms Kaye's private secretary said his request for a review of the immigration decision had been forwarded to Ms Kaye.
Mr Glover told the minister the original investigation was flawed and he wanted his wife to be granted residency on humanitarian grounds.
