CONTROL OF ALIENS

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 226, 19 June 1940, Page 11

CONTROL OF ALIENS

Restriction On Articles In Possession TRIBUNALS TO BE SET UP The Alien Control Emergency Regulations gazetted yesterday provide that if the Attorney-General so orders an enemy alien may be delivered into the custody of such person and detained in such place as the • Attorney-General from time to time thinks lit. At present aliens are guarded by the military authorities, ami provision is made for any cases unfit for detention at the usual place of confinement. The Governor-General is authorized to set up one or more alien tribunals and to give each tribunal such distinctive name as he thinks lit. The tribunal shall consist of any number of persons not exceeding three, and the Governor-General shall appoint one of the members to be chairman and shall determine the quorum aud may appoint a substitute to act in the case of the illness or incapacity of a member. The tribunal has the powers of a commission under the Commissions of Inquiry Act. It determines its own procedure and may admit evidence whether strictly legal evidence or not. Aliens appearing before it may be represented by a barrister or solicitor or by leave of the tribunal by any other person. The functions of the tribunal are to advise the Attorney-General as to any matters arising under Regulation 20, which is the regulation relating to internment of aliens. Possession of Articles. A further regulation restricts the possession of certain articles by enemy aliens. Under this regulation an enemy alien may not without a written permit from the registration officer of the Police Department in the district in which lie resides have in his possession specified articles. Permits may be is-sued-subject to conditions and may be amended or revoked. There is power on conviction to forfeit any article held in contravention of the regulation and power for a/superintendent or inspector of polic4 to authorize a constable to search any premises on suspicion that articles may be found there in contravention of the regulations. Another regulation authorizes the Attorney-General by order in writing to impose on any alien or class of aliens restrictions; as to residence, reporting to the police, registration, occupation, employment, the use or possession of any machine, apparatus, arms and explosives or other article or otherwise as he may think necessary in the public interest. The general effect of these regulations, it was officially stated, Is to give the strongest possible security against any danger arising from the presence of aliens among us. The tribunals will secure that enemy aliens are Interned in all proper cases, and in cases where liberty is allowed an alien, the conditions imposed by the legislation together with special conditions which may be imposed by the Attorney-Gen-eral in respect of certain matters or activities will make assurance doubly sure.