The Dominion FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1920. ACTION ON RIGHT LINES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 274, 13 August 1920, Page 6

The Dominion FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1920. ACTION ON RIGHT LINES

In more than one respect, the Immigration Restriction Amendment Bill ''now. before Parliament offers a very great improvement on existing legislation in the same category. The Bill makes a new but well-warranted departure in'.proposing that all British subjects coming into the' Dominion as* permanent settlers shall be required to take an oath of allcgiance, f and all immigrants of foreign origin an oath to obey the laws of New Zealand. The need of such a provision has been made manifest, though less conspicuously here than in some other parts of the Empire, in tho attitude'and activities of disloyal malcontents who abuse the wide freedom of the British Constitution by endeavouring to foment sedition and , lawlessness. An overwhelming majority of the people of this country will agree heartily that anyone who refuses to take an oath of allegiance, or an oath to obey the law, is an undesirable immigrant whom the Dominion will be very much better without. Such an oath, of course, imposes no restraint on the fair expression of opinion. But there are men, and women, in the world to-day who make political and industrial agitation a cloak for ■ criminal designs against the welfare of society in general. Very often these people describo themselves as internationalists, and repudiate the authority of anv existing Government. If the Bill now under consideration is passed, a.strong barrier, will be raised against antinational fanatics of this type, and against all .who refuse to respect the. law and to content themselves with constitutional methods of securing political change. It is_ true that the barrier may be passed at times by those who swear falsely, but any who sink to this depth -will provide in their perjury an occasion for deporting, them with promptitude as soon as they appear in their real character.

In its other • main feature—the special provisions governing the entry of immigrants who arc not of British or Irish birth or parentage —the Bill is equally commendable.The improvement;on existing legislation is particularly apparent in the proposal that such immigrants, unless they belong to countries exempted by proclamation, shall be required in the first instance to post an application in writing from their own country. With the law amended on these, lines, it would be possible, amongst other things,_to dca 1 from a much better standpoint than has yet been attained with the problem of Asiatic immigration. It is clearly' understood in this country that considerations which arc largely economic make it essential that the immigration of Asiatics should be""'restricted within the narrowest possible limits, but at the same time it is extremely undesirable that any avoidable slight should be put upon the races to which the restrictions apply. Probably no better means could be devised of enforcing necessary restrictions without giving needless offence than are, proposed in the Bill at present before Parliament.'' -It is proposer}, that_ tap conditions imposed on intending nonBritish immigrants who wish to settle permanently in the Dominion should not apply to people who desire merely to spend a few months here for purposes of business, health, or pleasure. This measure of exemption ought to promote a good understanding with Asiatic coun tries whose people the Dominion is unable to admit freely as immigrants. The admission of educated travellers from these countries would facilitate a useful interchange of opinion, and promote an ever-widen-ing recognition of the undoubted fact that on economic, and other grounds it is against the interests of.Asiatics as well as of white people that their race and ours should be allowed to intermingle freely in the same country. At the same tirao, the Bill offers a moans of dealing on even terms with Asiatic countries even where positive restrictions on immigration arc concerned. No valid objection could be taken, to these countries regulating immigration and the right of entry on lines similar to those now proposed hi New Zealand, and it oupht to be possible to arrive at a fair adjustment on this basis without loss of dignity, or bitter feeling on either side. It is necessary and desirable that everything in reason should be | done to establish good relations with j Asiatic races inside and outside the | Empire, and the Immigration Restriction Amendment Bill promises

to serve a. useful purpose in this respect as well as in strengthening the legislation which is intendefl to exclude unsuitable and undesirable immigrants. Marked as they are by sound initiative and resource, the essential provisions of the Bill will no doubt be approved heartily in Parliament and in the .country.