ALIEN ENEMIES.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2552, 28 August 1915, Page 3

ALIEN ENEMIES.

"Sir,—ln'your-issueof the 19tli inst. you publish a_ fairly fnll explanation of tho term , "alien- enemy," as given by tho Attorney-General (the -Hon. A. L.. Herdm'an), 1 but> the exceptions' implied; therein (jn Clause 1 2 of the war regulationsV still considerably ; - obscures; the meaninc of the; term to the ordinary individual., Ifyoitwould kindly explain that poiiit, the public would then be able, to; clearly ''understand: the actual meaning of the term.—l .am, etc., inquirer: Masterton, August 20, 1915. .'TThis letter ; was" submitted ;'for . tho consideration of tho"'Attorney-General, the; HonIVAV L. Herdmari,: who repliea j as follows:—Clause.;' .26 of' tho War Regulations of November 10, 1914, is as follows''Nothing' in, these regulations shall bo so construed or : . shall : so onerate as to confer, any .rights upon an alien enemy or in any manner to take away l or i restrict ;. the; absolute right of His Majesty to . do with all such persons to his good pleasure." • -; The. term "alien enemy" as -used in this clause is used; in its -.ordinary sense as: meaning a person who is, the . subject of :an enemy State, and not in tlie extended -sense in which the term' is ;■ used'in.-the. War - R-egulations: Generally. :\lh- this extended sensey an alien enemy is'"any person who is or has at any tiine been a subject of any' State with which His Majesty is now at war, notwithstanding : the fact that, such person may, be also by birth, naturalisation, or otherwise a British subiect, or may have in any manner ceased to _ be'-- a.. subject of any . such State." Alieu enemies in the ordinary sense have no rights as against the Govern- ; ment. and can bo aealfc with as the Government thinks fit. Persons, how- ■ ever.: who are ' alien enemies only by ; reason of the extended definition- of that term .are., subject to the special liabilities imposed ,by the War Regulations, but otherwise possess'the same rights as British subjects. It must bo understood, also, that the definition of alien enemy' under -the War Regulations has no bearing on the question of trading with tho enemy. Under the Royal Proclamations prohibiting -trading with tho enemv.' the term "enemy" means ! a person residing or carrying on business in an enemy .country whatever his nationality may be, and'does not in'clude a person residing or carrying on business within 1 the British Empire, oven though of enemy nationality.]