AUSTRIANS AND NATURALISATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 950, 18 October 1910, Page 4

AUSTRIANS AND NATURALISATION.

THE HON. D. BUDDO EXPLAINS. '

: '.TK8 ij complaints by; Aiistrian3:';iS:,-; : ,tli6 kaipara; district ; 4h)it/5 undue/ delayeis taking iplace;witfr : appiications: ; for..letters 'of were brought under.-the'notice of .;the;' Hon.:D. Buddo, Ministervior';.lnternal; Affairs,-by a Dominion ' reporter yesterday: -Mr. Buddo'stated.that >o..length/:.of, residence to'-'qualify-.for;the.prmlege_;of naturalisation--was 'laid I 'down;'- in ; ; -New. Zealand. The-period'- of; residence , : prb-; vided'for, under.the : English :Act;was -five years.-. .'ln New. Zealand'-- the ■' rule/ was that a period of. Residence;.-;approaching, that '• in force at Home was ;- necessary _be-.-fbve'- naturalisation ■i:'-.was ;,iallowed.;.; .The; period • was; -however, --.always : : very reduced when.evidence of settlement was forthcoming;. -Such: evidence, must t .be' : in: :'the nature of a'dwelling, or .■;■ occupation; of" land, -" or engagement in- a : -business.. It was ! true that;complaints often, earner, to- hand, owing 'to ..the delay in the -Issue of-naturalisation papers.-.;.0n1y. that. day:, he liad received: 1 suchVa' complaint'from, a.'foreign''resident,'.who had'■• not■;,;been" twelve -'months-'in : the : "Dominion.'■'.. *~ Buddo added that' ho, 'ground-for-' cornplaint in the.matter existed.^- The Government w.as hot: at all averse-to-thaissue. ■ : 6f-'natur , alisation-.papors,'.:sp.lohg.;as; .tne, tioiis.;,'• No. -case-; of .hardship '.had.-ever.: ocourred.' There;'was no'-'intention'. _,to amend -the law : relating, to the subject..;.