PASSPORTS.
STRINGENT EXAMINATION. UOLTTART REJECTS XOT ALLOWED TO GO. SEEDED FOR INDUSTRIAL LIKE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. Monday. The Minister for Internal Affairs, the -Hon. G. W. Russell, to-night made a statement in regard to permits to leave Jjew Zealand and passports. In consequence of the depletion of the country's manhood for war purposes, it had become absolutely necessary, said the Minister, to enforce a much more stringent interpretation of the regulation with regard to these matters than had hitherto obtained. Xhe number of men who had left for the front or were now in camp :. amounted to approximately fiUOOO. and the inroad thus made upon the manhood 0 f the country made it imperative that ove rv man who could be used in New Zealand should be retained here. A number of men. who had endeavoured to enlist- and obtained certificates of medical unfitness, appeared to have the impression that it wa.s only necessary to produce this in order to secure passports and permits. "They had better rid their minds of any such idea,"' said Jlr. Russell- " The men who. because of varicose veins, varicocele, or any other cause, do not come up to the stern and rHd requirements of military service. are needed in New- Zealand to fill the places of men who have enlisted and been accepted for military duty. Consequently instructions have been issued that in every case where a man seeks to leave the country, who is of military age or is even approaching military age. the most rigid explanation is to be made as to the circumstances of. and reasons for;Ms intended departure before a passport or a permit can be granted. ' "Some New Zealanders appear to have the impression that they have only to state their desire to work in munitions factories, or join some branch of the Imperial war service to be able to secure permits to leave New Zealand. It is "well that they should understand." said the Minister, "that in all such eases permits will he refused by the Department of Internal Affairs, which controls these matters. Practically the only cases in which men of military age will he granted permits to leave are those of re- . turned soldiers who have already fulfilled the obligations of citizenship by fighting for the Empire, and men who tan prove their bona fides as visiting snearers or slaughteijnen who bail come to New Zealand in the ordinary course of their business. Tn the latter case, most careful inquiry is made, and if it is discovered that a man has remained in New Zealand for more than one season. heisTegarded as a New Zealander. and tlris-country claims his services. In some ' cases applications have been received for ' permits to leave on the ground of a desire to visit relatives or friends in [Australia. In all these cases strict inquiries are made as to whether the person applying has disposed of his property and whether he is. or is not, takinriiis family -with him, and where. as a reason for issuing a permit, it is : stated that a man proposes to return to New Zealand within a fixed period, he is Tenoned to sign a statutory declaration ' ' leftre"a justice of the peace.? j :
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Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 158, 4 July 1916, Page 9
Word Count
538PASSPORTS. Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 158, 4 July 1916, Page 9
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