NEW BILLS

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 27, 1 August 1917, Page 10

NEW BILLS

BEFORE PARLIAMENT

The House of Representative* continued its sitting yesterday . afternoon, and, after putting through all stages the Expiring Laws : Continuance Bill, considered some new measures. NATURALISATION OF ALIENS. - The Hon. G. W. Russell. moved: the second reading of the Revocation of Naturalisation Bill. Jt proposed, he said^ to give the Governor-General power to revoke naturalisation in cases where itwas considered that such a course wa» essential in the'public interest. The Bill was a war measure, and would, he urged, not be allowed to operate harshly, and only after full consideration by Cabinet would any case be. dealt with. He went on to express the opinion that, if in-the Old Country registration of aliens had been in operation, a great deal, of what had occurredivould have' been' avoided/There were, he added, 257 aliens interned, on Somes Island, 80 at Motuihi Island,..one at Devonport, and. two in Porirua Asylum. That made a total of 340, of whom one was a Turk, two were Bulgarians,' one" was Dutch, and eight were Austrians. The balance were Germans. A list was being prepared of all unnaituralised enemy subjects, and a Bill was being prepared, dealing with ) the voting rights of aliens in the Dominion. The Minister went on 'to point out the disabilities to which an alien enemy riot naturalised would' be subjected^ For instance, he might be ar-i : rest<Bd by order of a military authority; - he might be tried by court-martial and sentenced to death; he could not change his name; he 'could not commence business in New Zealand,, nor carry it on under another name. He thought the Government, was justified, in bringing down such a measure as this.. The Government could not take,any chances in matters of this kind. No letters of naturalisation. could be issued until ithe war concluded. Later, he said, he thought that this waa a mafcter for consideration by an Imperial Council, but that the Overseas Dominions should have safeguards by way of review. The Bill was read a second time.

REGISTRATION OF BUSINESS

NAMES.

The Hon. A. L. Herdman moved the second reading of the Registration of Business Names Bill, the principal effect of which has already Wen published. Its chief object, he said/ was to finable everyone to know whom he was dealing with. If foreigners interested in a business endeavoured to conceal their identity under a British name, it was considered advisable that the public should be made aware of the fact. If a person desired to carry,on business in New Zealand, he ought to be prepared to carry it on in his own name. Mr, Wilford said he was concerned as to whether .the Bill would be properly administered when it was passed. In this connection, he mentioned, the fact that the Deutscher Bank, practically German, was running in England at the present time, and it was distinctly! stated that the authorities were afraid to shut it down, because of the'revelation's it could have made about people in high places. . ■■ Mr._\ C... J.\Parr remarked that recent experience had'shown that the average man or woman would, after the war, purchase '■ the cheapest goods in the cheapest market, irrespective of country of manufacture or origin. The only protection was a prohibitive tariff. < In reply the Minister gave the House a full assurance ■ that the; Bill, when it came into operation, would be fully administered, and ,he pointed out that the penalties for non-obseryanca (£5 a day) were fairly severe.' '■■ •...-.' The second' reading was carried oni the voices. ■'•'.■•'. ■ .

The House ihen adjourned until 2.30 this afternoon. ■ , '■■■..-..■