CHECK ON ALIENS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 27 September 1926, Page 8

CHECK ON ALIENS.

THE TIME-PAYMENT SYSTEM. WILY WAYS OF CHINESE. Tike control of aliens who enter New Zealand \vitli permits for six months residence is one of the most stxennous and nt times most irksome, duties tailing to the lot of officers of the Customs Deoartment. It is estimated there are an average of between 200 and 000 foreigners• who have permission to remain in the Dominion for limited periods, and every one of these persons is more or less constantly under the eye of the department. Auckland is the port at which the Greatest' number of visitors from overseas arrive and every boat brings its quota of aliens. An average of one a day arrives at Auckland, and the date of his or her entry is carefully noted for reference when the visitor s time has expired and it becomes .necessary to notify the fact. On the other hand, iiumhprs ate leaving weekly, but in miany cases it is only the vigilance o. the custqpis officials that keeps the stream; rubying- . , ! T.ltose’ usually causing most aimoyaxioe in the enforcement of the law are Chinese, Hindus and Yugo-Slavs, and p>f tlieso the officials have most difficulty with Chinese. The whereabouts o<f aliens is ; as far as possible, IcnoiWii by the. department during the whole. ,of the stay, and at the end of the. time the aliens are warned, if they have n:ol, already taken, steps to depart, that they are bound to leave the country by a certain date. Then it is that in some instances all manner of excuses ■are put forward to justify a longer stay. V Chinese and Relations. In the art of justifying his actions in the face of the law the Chinese is particularly efficient, as he has shown iofiC numerous occasions in trying to hoodwink the customs officials. When notified that he must leave by a certwin date one will reply that he is grieved at ithe order, as he has been hunting the length and breadth of the country in an endeavour to find a relation -who ha's evaded all his searches. Tt would give him a great amount of pleasure to find Iris relation before he

goes. It is not the practice of the department to be severe and a .reasonable time is sometimes allowed for the man to find his “relations.’ * If he is not located, the searcher is firmly but politely told that he has far outstayed has term and cannot remain any longer. Cases have come under the notice of the department in which Chine'se have secured medical certificates, stating their delicate health will not permit; of them travelling. However, they are not allowed to pass entirely from the notice of the customs. Time for Recovery of Debts. On other occasions a plea for more time in the country lias been advanced on the grounds that the visitor has allowed several amounts of money to pass through his hands since his arrival, and that lie has to set to work and Collect, numerous debts. However, these practices have become generally kn'own to the official's and it requires more than the usual amount fo Oriental suavity to convince an inspector that a certain ease has features deserving extraordinary lenience. Foreign theatrical artists have also

to Obtain permits to land, and there are always a few in New Zealand Whose stay is regulated. Court proceedings have to be taken at intervals against peisons who will not obey,the .law, and about 12 aliens have been dealt with in this way in Auckland ■this year. There is no restrictions at all imposed upon citizens of the United States, except those of coloured birth. This is in /[strong. contrast to' the severe restrie'lions surrounding the entry of persons ,of British nationality into United States territory.