"A PROHIBITED IMMIGRANT."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 331, 19 October 1908, Page 5

"A PROHIBITED IMMIGRANT."

Sir, —Under tho abovo heading there appeared in tho Dominion of this morning an account of tho arrost of a Japanese subjcct named "Sando," for non-payment of tho poll-tax, but there is evidently some mistake about this, as Japanese subjects arc not liable to payment of any poll-tax, but only to tho education test, in common with all other aliens, with the exception of the Chinese, who, under special Acts, aro subject to payment of poll-tax. This man could probably bo arrested as a deserter from his ship, but as it is a British ship, he, if properly entered as a member of the crew, occupied the position and standing of British subject, and should have been treated as such. There aro all the elements, apparently, of a very pretty complication. Tho paragraph in the Domikion should have been headed "Outrage upon a Japanese Subject."—l am, etc., A. S. ALDRICH, Consul. Imperial Japanese Consulate, . Grey Street, Wellington, October 17, 1908.