UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 252, 23 October 1919, Page 4

UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRANTS.

To old-fa,shioned people accustomed to regard British communities as homes of free speech and sanctuaries for tho oppressed of all nations there may be something distasteful in the Bill which the Government has just introduced to extend the power taken during the war to deai with undesirable immigrants, and to authorise it to deport disaffected or disloyal persons. Bui the Government is acting in self-defence against a Janger that is world-wido, and agiinst which most civilised Governments have felt compelled to take measured. There arc everywhere men whose aim it is to averturn Governments and society liy unconstitutional means, and since the State is 'based on constitutional foundations it is entitled to say that these men shall not bo free to carry on their work nf destruction. Every Government that i= worth its salt will protect itself ami the people whose trustee it is, from violence. Such measures as the Bill proposes are all the more necessary now that other countries arc warring on enemies of society. America, for example, has passed a drastic law against Bolsheviks and members of the 1.W.W., and if we do not put a high fonce round our own country, we may find ourselves giving an asylum to a number of the worst deportees from the United States. As for German immigrants, the Government quite rightly takes the stand that none should enter without special authority. We shall have to admit some Germans, and no doubt with tho passing of time the numbers will be allowed to increase, but in the public interest and in deference to * feelln ? immigration will be .ctrictc-d for an indefinite period. The danger in the Bill fe that it places very areat power in the bands of the Attornoyto°^»hti eswiththisone *utSSS to saj whether a man is fit to enter the Dominion, or whether he should be deported U c can imagine circumstances in which a grave injustice might bp done, and if the Bill does not make provision for appeal, we think it should Certainly there should be no deportation' or even detention, without trial. That kind of tiling may be necessary in far time, but in peace it should not be tolerated ior a moment.