THE HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3151, 1 August 1917, Page 7

THE HOUSE

v The House'6f Representatives met at '■ .;2.30jp.m. ■> .r . .' . .-■ ... .". . ' 'Mr. A. S. MALCOLM (Clutlia) aak- - ed the. Prime' Minister, whether he iWould take the opportunity on tho com- ■ ■•■'. Ing tiiird anniversary of.the beginning of. the war to congratulate the New Zealand Army on its splendid and heroic : . deeds, and.to -grant to the Army the ■ ■-..thanks.of Parliament. •■•-•; ' •'" ; The Rt. Hon. W. IV-IIASSEY-.(Prime Minister).said-that : this matter was un-der-consideration, and it was piobable r that .the.Government would do what was ■ suggested. , -.'■ -'■■■.-■ ■■;■ .-. -' i ■'. • ■ The Hon.G. W. RUSSELL (Minister of Internal-Affairs) gave notice of the Kegis- " ■ iration of Aliens Bill. . . . , ■'■'■. ■"■■ RENEWJNG WAR MEASURES, .'. '■'; The Hon.'lL. HERDMAN (Attorney-- . " General).'moved'.the second reading, of the üßxpirrag Laws Continuance .Bill, , saying that the Bill provided for the extension ■■* ''.. W 'the Sfe of certain war measures. .' ' ... , The Bill' was -.put, '.through all Stages and : passed. .'.. .'/... ,■ . . . ALIENS' NATURALISATION; . PROVISION...FOB REVOCATION. The Hon. g" W; RUSSELL moved-the ■ second reading of of • " Naturalisation BilJ. ...'This - measure, lie , said, proposed to confer' upon' thelGover- -• Jior-in-Couocil power to revoke naturalisation in>,casee- where. It.had' .already . . been .granted;-and where- it was deemed' ...advisable for good reason.to cancel nat■Miralisation papersi issued to aliens in ■•■ '■'■!.• .Great Britain or any.'of the British Do,V millions.■■ The .proposal: was not one ; - which was to be determined on the mere -,'"" ipse dixit of a .Minister.. Revocation •'.- • would be. made only on the authority 'of v' the, Executive.'lt. would not be possible!,, ;' '-. as. had been suggesteed, to submit the • ■'• Jiuestion of whether naturalisation should ..'.•:■ -| be revoked to .'trial, by .the .Supreme /•'.Court. No Government could' in every «ase make public the reasons for action. ' '. Die gave some particulars of the numbers j .of alien enemies interned in 'New Zear 'land. On Somes leland there were 257, ;'on:Motuihu,i Island 80,'- at Devonport . Retention Barracks 1, in Porirua. Aeyruni ' p—&. total of 340.; "The great- majority were' Germans, Vbiit there, were α-fe* others. . For instance, there were two : '-Bulgarians and one Turkl,.. At last cen- '.'.'■ bus the number''of persons of German' : .'birtliyin-'New , was 4015, and .' '-there were also -to be'"considered- depen- "''■:'■ dants'i'of'ffi&'e people:o-If'-a;-man'e' nat-.- ' . Viiralisation we're revoked he would lose ' ■ . all his political privileges/and certain of. -.'!' iie'rights.as a s citizen. He would, not, for instance, be able to own a ship or any share in a- 6liipMt.had not yet been '■..' [decided whether a man losing natutt-alisa- . tion would lose his : right to - >ote ' ,at- .local ,'.'elections.-. The. ...-'.' .-'Minister . detailed certain' other'.of the' rights and privileges denied to alien ene- " mies. ■ Ho thought honourable membere would agree that tho Government, was justified in introducing the, Bill.v 'Many of the Germans Svho had come to this "country and lived here for .many years *ad been good citizens of this, country.; Borne of them had given their sons, to fight ' for the British Flag, and had given their ■ substanco for patriotic purposes. But ■. ■'■ tnere wore other ."Germans, and their presences, in the ..country made t)ie (Bill necessary. '. : •;■".'._ i Mr. G. V. PEARCE(Pa,tea) said that • . naturalisation should'not bo granted to any. alien from the enemy countries un-. less' he liad'resided at least fifteen or twenty years under the British .Flag. He . thought . that an unnaturalised alien '. ehould not be allowed to own land. •:■ ' . Tho Minister, in reply, said that future '• naturalisation would be the subject of anothor Bill.'. He thought'that'tho Doininioh.'6hould'.retain power 'to;'review

naturalisation issued in other parts of the Empire. Tho Bill was read a second time. BUSINESS HOUSES. NO DISGUISES FOR ALIENS. Tho ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Hon. A. L. Herdman) moved the second readine of the Registration of Business Houses Bill, which' is designed to ensure that the public shall have information regarding the names and nationality of persons trading under business names. The Bill provides that persons and firms trading under names that do. not disclose the true names of all tho individuals and partners concerned are to be registered. Agents como within the scope of the Bill if they represent foreign, firms. The f form of registration must disclose the business name, the general nature of the business, the principal place of business, the present Christian name and surname , , the present na-, tionality, the nationality of origin, the usual residence, and the other business occupation (if any) of the individual concerned or of each of the partners. The Registrar of Companies is to keep an index of persons and companies registered under the Act, and a copy of the certificate'of registration is to be "kept exhibited in a. conspicuous position at the prinoipal place of business of Hie firm or individual." A coftr of any entry in the-index may be obtained by any person oh payment of fees. •An individual who fails to register in ■terms of this Act will be liable on. summary conviction to a fine not exceeding lii day te tho period of default. Ihe fine,". in -the case of a company will not exceed £5 per day for each partner. While the failure to register continues, tho rights of the defaulter under any contract made in respect to his business shall not be enforceable by action _or other'legal proceeding. The penalty for a false statement may be imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months, or a fine not exceeding £20, or both. The Registrar is empowered to retuse to register a business name calculated to create a belief that the business" in under British ownership or control it, in his opinion, the name is misleading. After tho oxpiry of three-monthss irom the passing of the Act every individual and firm required by the Act to be registered shall, in all trade catalogues, -trade circulars, show-cards,, and business letters on which the business name appears, have, mentioned in legible characters the present Christian name the present surname, any tormer Ofinstian name or surname, the nationality if not British, and the nationality of origin ot the individual or of eaoh partner con-, corned. A breach of this clause will render the offender liable to a fine not exceeding £o for each offence. '.. Mr. T.-M. WILFORD (Hutt) said the Bill was a good one, and. had been needed. The question, was whether it would be put into operation effectively.' A scandalous state of affairs prevailed in Britain, where the Deutsche Bank had continued to operate until a few weeks ago. The Bill before the House was a copy of the British Act, and 'ft should not be allowed to become useless through lax administration. He believed it was not sufficiently drastic in regard to penalties. . , ■ :

Hon. A. L. Herdman: Five pounds a day! ' ■llr. Wilford: "Germany will be propared to spend ninny millions in order ifco gain trade after the war." He hoped the penalty would be made greater iwhen the Bill was being- consitiered. in Committee. . . • •

Mr, C.'J. PARR (Eden) said he feared tho publio would patronise the -'cheapest) shop even if a- notice over the door betrayed alien ownership. It was; & fact that merchants looked coldly on any proposal to confine trade to British channels. .The only way to keep out enemy trade would -be to impose a sufficiently drastic tariff. The Bill would be an- aid to those people who were patriotic enough to wish to buy British goods.; It would compel linns and companies to disclose their real identity. He agreed/that the penalties provided for breaches of the law were too low. Hon. D. BUDDO (Kaiapoi) also urged that'the penalties should be made more severe. ihv G. WITTY (Riccarton) said the need for the Bill had been'apparent for a long time. The concealment of alien nationality beneath British names ought : to be'regarded as a very serious offence.' Dr. H.'T. J. THACKER (Christchurch East) said thatmuch of the German trade came through British channels. German goods before the war had/been repacked in London by British tirms and then sent on to-New Zealand. Tho ATTORNEY-GENERAL, in reply, said lie would be glad to consider the question of penalties. The proposed fine of ,£5 per day on each partner would bo a substantial charge against any firm. Ho was sure the Bill would do good. The Bill was read a second time. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. until .2.30 p.m. to-day.