ALIEN ENEMY LEGISLATION

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 139, 9 December 1918, Page 3

ALIEN ENEMY LEGISLATION

. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Recently our Parliament passed a law dealing with the holding of land by enemy Aliens, and by bo doing appear to set a principle that they are qualified to place any restriction they may desire over the actions of our present; enemies who may happen* to be resident in New Zealand; ■■•.■■■•■ ■ . Might I ask you, sir, to use your influence in the direction of securing some reasonable discussion during the present rush session in Parliament regarding restrictions concerning the ultimate certain action and activity of German-born in trading circles. Members of Parliament up to now seem to have ojily considered matters from the farmers' , standpoint, ignoring the fact that in the past Germany did not, as far ns this country is concerned, show much desire to acquire interests in land, but every possible advantage was sought and often secured by trading methods that proved wonderfully successful. In my opinion our strongest efforts by legislation should be in the direction of avoiding a repetition of the past, and to make it as difficult as possible for Germany to eecure a hold of the New Zealand trade.

It has been amply proved,, particularly, in England, that the scheme of peaceful penetration, often by paid emissaries of tho Uerman Government, and by trickery was foolishly fostered by English firms ompioying German blerks, etc., who through being paid as spies and commercial .ag-enta, wore able to accept small salaries from English firm We know what trickery hafi been exposed in thie connection. The Peace Conference will probably decide the rights of Germany to trade to overseas countries, and also regarding repatriation or otherwise of German-born residents in other countries, but surely we can prevent the unriaturalised German-born from becoming again domiciled in the tradingoirclea here for say Eve or ten ycais either as principal or assistant—that is to say, as far as the export and import trade is concerned. If trickery and treachery was an integral part of the organisation previous to the outbreak of' tho war, wo can surely expect craftiness in future; and what better aosiatants to this end can the people in Germany have than those of German birth in our midst? We want the New Zealand Government to say at once decisively that no Germanborn resident in Now Zealand who is not naturalised shall be alowed to take any part whatever in trad© overseas, and that no naturalisation papers shall be granted to New Zealand residents of this description who have during their residence failed to identify themselves in this way in past years. Surely their failure to formally attach themselves to this country when they had every opportunity is sufficient to prove where their feelings lie.— I Ma, etc.,