ENEMY ALIENS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 217, 14 September 1939, Page 10

ENEMY ALIENS.

GOVERNMENT'S VIEW.

GENERAL SURVEILLANCE.

EXPLANATION BY LEADER.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day.

The attitude of Parliament towards the enemy alien was briefly discussed during consideration of the Emergency Regulations Bill in the House yesterday. The Government's policy, which met with general approval, was expressed by the acting-Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, in these terms: "It would be folly to neglect precautions; still our laws and regulations will be carried out in a broadminded and generous fashion. Firmness does not imply vindictiveness." The subject was raised by Mr. J. Har- : gest (National, Awarua) who suggested that as New Zealand had in the goodness oi its heart admitted a number!

of aliens who would be classed as enemy aliens, some care would have to be taken in handling that problem to prevent sabotage which might weaken the country's war effort.

Mr. J. A. Lee (Government, Grey Lynn) did not agree, but he suggested that the authorities should avoid making anybody suffer who had been already compelled to suffer under the Hitler regime. Some people, with the best intentions in the world, might do grave hardship and it would, he declared, be little short of heart-breaking if people who had been driven out of Middle Europe were to be persecuted in this country. Be sincerely trusted that the men &ttd women of New Zealand would realise that it was not human beings we were fighting, but systems of dictatorship. The Outcry of 1914. The acting-Prime Minister said references had been made to "the stranger within onr gates." He recalled the outcry in 1014 against certain estimable people who were good citizens, and he also remembered the fair-minded and liberal attitude of the man who bore the greatest burden of all, Sir Jltmes j Allen, who had eliown him files which j displayed a well-balanced judgment and ' great generosity towards these people. | Circumstances to-day were different, 1 for in New Zealand* were men and women, mostly Jewish, who had been forced out of Europe by an invader of' their country. "It would be a tragedy and disaster if, because of their misfortune in their old homes, they were persecuted in their new one," he continued, He believed this was the general view of the House, but he eon'-' give an assurance that nothing would be left undone to see that no foolish person did harm in this country.

The Commissioner of Police was assisted by capable officers who had made a study of the problem and ht was an alert and broad-minded man Competent officers had been selected tr deal with the problem of the alien and they were sat'*fied that with oc-aeiona interviews and general surveillance the nroblem of control could be carried out in a friendly and at the same time efficient way. He felt that there was no cause for fear in regard to the creat majority of theso people, for probably those who had the strongest personal feelings against dictatorship were those who had eecaped from its grasp, and who would, if fftvfn the opportunity, be the first to join up and fight.