UNDESIRABLE CITIZENS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 254, 25 October 1919, Page 6

UNDESIRABLE CITIZENS.

The Leader of the Opposition took tho right ground in discussing the Undesirable Immigrants Exclusion Bill, by which the Government takes drastic powers to exclude and deport dangerous persons. It contained, he said, excellent principles, but centred a. great deal of power in one man, arid for that reason, and because it continued the passport system, it should bp- carefully considered. We are not entirely in agreement with Sir Joseph Ward about passports; we believe that they may be necessary for a long time to coma. But, as we said in discussing the Bill on its introduction, we hold that there should be checks to prevent the AttorneyCencral abusing his great power-of exclusion and deportation. We would rigidly exclude all true-blue revolutionaries and Bolsheviks frota this country, but we would not leave the fate of every suspect person to depend upon the decision of one Minister. If the Bill passes as it stands, very large discretion, is given to the Attorney-General, and we have no doubt that whoever holds the office will exercise this discretion with a due sense of responsibility. . B'n£ his power wiil be . very wide. He will be able to deny "disloyal" men the.right of entry. But what are the limits of disloyalty? Suppose Britain is engaged in a "little war" somewhere in the Empire, and, as has often happened, a public man at Home opposes it, would he not technically .be a disloyalist? Mr. Holland instanced Mr. ILloyd George's attitude towards the ■Boer war. And, strictly speaking, under this measure, Mr. H. G., Wells, an avowed Republican, might be prohibited from visiting New Zealand. It 'may be said that these are extreme cases, but they show- the extent of the powers vested in the Minister, and the need for some system of appeal against his decision. In the case of men who have been allowed to come to New Zealand, and then are suspected of being dangerous to the public safety, there should be trial before deportation. If a country lets a man enter, it to some extent admits him to the status of citizenship, •and it has therefore no right to throw him oub summarily. If the Government has a case that warrants the deportation of a man, it should be prepared to place its evidence' before a court. The Prime Minister has said that the Bill is capable of amendment, and we hope that 'Parliament will amend it on the lines we have indicated, without in any sense endangering the principles . involved.