IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION.

Evening Star, Issue 10746, 5 October 1898, Page 1

IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION.

In introducing the Immigration Restriction Bill in the Legislative Council on .September 15 the Minister of Education stated that it was a measure with whose history members were no doubt familiar. In 1890 a Bill was passed by the Parliament dealing with immigration, which the Governor reserved for Her Majesty’s pleasure. In the succeeding year the colonial Premiers met in London on the occasion of the Queen's Jubilee, and had a conference with the Secretary of State for the Colonies, when the matter was discussed from an Imperial as well as a colonial point of view, and a decision arrived at very much in accordance with the expressed opinions of the Imperial Government. This Bill, Mr Walker declared, was the outcome of an “appeal to C.esar,” and he considered that it was not only right and proper that an appeal to CjESab should be given full' effect to, but that the Colony should have every confidence in the adviser C.esar takes to himself. Her Majesty’s Secretary of State was, he said, a gentleman who took a special interest in all these questions, as live questions between the colonics and the Imperial Power. For these reasons it might be considered certain that every weight had been given to the reasons why New Zealand, in common with other colonies, felt obliged to assume a restrictive attitude in regard to immigration. The Secretary was perfectly able to enter into their feelings, but at the same time, as adviser of Her Majesty in the Imperial Cabinet, he was obliged to take wider and more Imperial views than the different colonies may perhaps have been obliged from local reasons to take. His point of view was that of one who not only was full of the necessity of Imperialistic instinct, but also endeavored to understand the difficulties and aspirations of the colonies. Mr Walker went on to say that he thought it was most satisfactory that the question had been dealt with at Home under such conditions, and the Bill, he said, was pretty well the result of the conference between the Premiers and Mr Cuamuerlain. Practically it was a copy of the Natal Act with modifications, which did not affect the principle. It must be premised in considering the provisions that nothing in the Bill applies to Chinese, but a]’ Chinese are to continue to be sub-, j t * l -isior r of the Chi''-<e : ’ ■

Except in so far as is otherwise provided, it is declared not to be lawful for any person of any of the following classes, included under the heading “prohibited immigrant,” to laud in New Zealand (1) Any person who, when asked to do so by an officer appointed under the Act, fails to himself write out and sign in the characters of any language of Europe an application in the prescribed form. (2) Any idiot or insane person. (3) Any person suffering from a contagious disease which is loathsome and dangerous. (4) Any person who, not having received a fioe pardon, has within two years next preceding the date on which he lands been convicted in any country of any offence involving moral turpitude, which, if committed in New Zealand, would be punishable by imprisonment for two years or upwards, not being a mere political offence The Act is not to apply to any person possessed of and named in a certificate in a form prescribed in the schedule, signed by the Colonial Secretary or any officer, whether in or outside of New Zealand, whom the Governor-in-Council may authorise to grant such certificates. In regard to this provision the Minister stated that there was no desire to make any racial exclusion of persons who visit New Zealand from any motives whatever. “ From the point of view of tourist, or “from the point of view of negotiator “ from Oriental States, or from any point “of view whatever—all may bo admitted “ under the clause. I n the case of any of “these gentlemen who visit our shores “ the Governor-in-Council will be able to “ give them an exemption paper and treat “them as if the Bill did not exist/' Her Majesty’s land and sea forces, the officers and crew of any foreign ship of war of any Government, of any mercantile vessel, provided they are not discharged in the Colony, arc also exempt from the operation of the Act. The rest of the Bill consists of machinery and administrative clauses, which do not call for any special remark. It may be noticed that all the specially objectionable and arbitrary provisions of the Undesirable Immigrants and other Bills of the same character are eliminated. There is no direct exclusion of Asiatics beyond the necessity of their being able to make written application for admission to New Zealand in some European language. This may exclude the lower class of Assyrians and Hindoos, but will certainly not affect the Japanese.