PERMITS REFUSED.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18671, 21 April 1926, Page 8

PERMITS REFUSED.

CHINESE IMMIGRATION RESTRICTED. NO ADMISBIONS THIS YEAR. (SrECUL TO "IH* FRESB.") "WELLINGTON, April 20. Tho Government- lias decided that no permits aro to bo granted this year iur the admission of Chinese to Now Zealand iui permanent residence. Attention has been drawn to tho number of Asiatics who have been tilluweU to take up residence in the Dominion. Ihe pusmon with regard to mo admission ot aliens is coutroiieu by uie customs Department by means ut u ngiu. permit system. Ouuer seeiiou o ot me immigration Ho.stricnoii .-VmenUrneiii Act oi U-0, it, is proviuua tliut. no person otner tnan a person ot liritisli oirtli and parentage shall (wim special exceptions) enter into Aew Zealand unless ho is m possession oi a permit to enter in the lorm, and to tho elfeet provided by regulations under the Act. ejection o also contams a provision that a person shall not be deemed to bo of British birth and purentoge by reason that ha or his parents or either of them is u naturalised JJritish subject, or by reason that ho is an aboriginal native or tho desoendawt of aii aboriginal native of any Dominion other than the Dominion of New Zea» land, or of any colony or other possession or of any protectorate of his Majesty. Application for a permit to enter New Zealand must, under Section 9 of the Act, be made in the prescribed form, be signed by the applicant, and bo sent by post from the country of origin of the applicant, or from tho (country where ho -lias resided for a period of at least ono year prior to the date of application. On receipt of the application the Minister for Customs may in his discretion grant or refuse to the applicant a permit to enter New Zealand. Since the Act of 1920 has come into operation, the issue of permits to Chines© to enter New Zealand permanently has been limited to not more than one hundred per year. For this year, however, it has been decided that no such permits shall be granted to Chinese. Chinese as wall as other foreigners who desire to enter the Dominion as visitors only, for the purpose of business, pleasure, or health, and who intend to leave the Dominion within six months after their arrival, are granted temporary permits, authorising tliem to remain for six months. A certain number of Chinese do avail themselves of this privilege. Occasional visits to their native land are made by Chinese who have now become permanent residents of New Zealand, and in these oases the Collector of Customs grants a certificate of registration, which entitles the person concerned to return within four years. On the arrival of vessels from Sydney or overseas ports, Chinese are frequently seen landing, but these are permanent residents, returning from visits abroad, or coming to the Dominion for the purpose of seeing relatives, or for health or business reasons. In Fiji and, other islands of the South Pacific there are numerous Chineie, and in the hot season of the year some of these come to New Zealand to recuperate. Over 2000 applications have been received from Chinese for permits to en* tor New Zealand permanently, but these permits have not been granted, and striot control is enforced by the Customs Department regarding the admission of aliens to New Zealand.