IMPERIAL CITIZENSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1154, 15 June 1911, Page 5

IMPERIAL CITIZENSHIP.

NEW CONDITIONS AGREED UPON. NATURALISATION OF ALIENS. The resolutions by Australia, New Zealand, aiul South Africa with regard to naturalisation were discussed by tko Imperial Conference yesterday. The resolutions were respectively:— That this Conference is in favour of the creation of a system which, while not limiting the right of a Dominion to legislate with regard to local naturalisation, will permit the issue to persons fulfilling prescribed conditions of certificates of naturalisation effective throughout the Empire, and refers to a subsidiary Conference the question of the best means to attain this end.

That it is in the besi interests of the Empire that there should bo more uniformity throughout its centres and dependencies in the law of , , , naturalisation.

That it is desirable to review the principles underlying the draft Bill tor Imperial Naturalisation before its details ore discussed further.

Jlr. Batchclor, Australian Minister for External Affairs, in moving the Australian resolution, said it was no part of the Conference's work to lay down rules. Nothing could be done with regard to Imperial naturalisation except by the Dominions themselves. The conditions in the various Dominions varied considerably, and he asked whether it would not ha worth while to give au Imperial certificate, with a stanuard embodying tho most drastic comnuous imposed by any Dominion. In that way an imperial nationality could be secured without lnU-rtcritig with a Uomiuiou's right to compel au applicant to comply with its local requirements.

Sir Wilfrid Launer, Prune Minister of Canada, urged that persons who were British subjects in any part of the Empire should be recognised as such everywhere.

oir Joseph Ward, in referring to tho Imperial araft Bill, said the equalisation of rue laws of British citizenship must be tept entirely separate iroin the question of the naturalisation of aliens. If that wero done, and tno Dominions retained their powers to exclude aliens, tSero coiiid be no reasonable objection to a definite British citizenship throughout [he Empire.

Mr. Malan (South Africa) saw practical difficulties existing in the two sets of cerlificates which the draft Bill proposed, lie agreed with Sir Wilfrid Laurier's view.

Mr. Winston Churchill, Some Secretary, nko addressed the Conference. Ho crystallised his suggestions into a series of resolution;—which was adopted—conceding worhl-wido nationality, provided there had been residence for fivo years in any part of the Empire. The overseas resolutions were withdrawn. NO OFFICIAL PBECIS EEADT. London, Juno 13. The ■ Colonial Office has not yet be_?n able to issue a precis of the Imperial Conference proceedings. THE RIGHT OF APPEAL. ORIGIN OF THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE. . When the Long Parliament abolished the Star Chamber in 1610, it enactpd that noither the King nor his Privy Council should hovo jurisdiction over any man's estate. But the Kinp-in-Council, though his original jurisdiction in England was taken away, was still the resort of suitors in the dependencies. In 1833 the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was constituted, and it was enacted that "all appeals or complaints in the nature of appeals which, either by virtue of this Act or of anv law, statute, or custom, mny be brought before his Majesty or hi» Majesty-in-Council" from the decision of any Court or Judge, should thenceforth be referred to the Judicial Committee.

The composition of the Judicial Committee has been altered from time to time. It now consists of the Lord President, such Privy Councillors as hold or have held "high judicial office" (defined to mean the office of Lord Chancellor, of a paid Judge of the Judicial Committee, or a Judge of one of the Superior Courts of Great Britain and Ireland), tho Lords Justices of Appeal, and two other persons, being Privy Councillors, whom the King may appoint. There may also be one or two paid members who have held judicial office in the East Indies. It was provided by an Act passed in 1595 that if auy perwn, being, or having been, a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, or of a Supreme Court in any province, of Canada, or of any of tho Australasian colonies, or of Cane Colony or Natal, or of any other Superior Court in the British Dominions which n- : ght be named by Order-in-Council, is a member of tho Privy Council, be shall be a member of the Judicial Ccnmittcc; but such colonial members of the Judicial Committee must not exceed five.

In Australia the right of appeal to the Privy Council was very much restricted hy the Commonwealth Constitution Act. In South Africa the Act of Union established a Supreme Court as a Court of Appeal from State Court?, but n certain right of appeal to the Privy Council still remains.

In English cases the House nf Lords is the final Court of Appeal. Tho appeals aro heard by the Lord Chancellor, ths Lords of Appeal, and such members of the House as have held high judicial office. '