CITIZENSHIP.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2695, 13 July 1923, Page 5

CITIZENSHIP.

AND STATUS OF ALIENS. GUARDING THE FRANCHISE IN NEW ZEALAND. NEW BILL EXPLAINED. (From our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. An interesting explanation covering the British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Bill was given by Sir Francis Dillon Bell in the Legislative Council to-day. Sir Francis said that in 1914 the Imperial Parliament passed the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, and that Act, with necessary modifications, was actually Introduced into the New Zealand Parliament some years ago but was delayed consequent on the war. The Imperial Act, in parts 1 and 3, defined the status of a British subject. Part 2 of the Act provided for naturalisation. Any portion of the Empire might adopt it and naturalisation became naturalisation throughout the portions of the Empire which adopted it. The adoption of the Act in 1914 would have had the very desirable effect of making a citizenship of the British Empire instead of one of the portions of the Empire. During the war the Government was faced with very many new considerations and the matter was taken into consideration by more than one Minister, and given more attention than any other quasi-foreigu question that came before the members of the Cabinet. The Government was unable to adopt part 2 of the British Act and the Bill provided the alternative of our remaining where we were before, with the right of determining within our own boundary the qualifications of the person who should vote with us and sit in our Legislature. This country differed In many respects from other parts of the Empire. For instance, Canada wanted population and was not careful to restrict immigration to those of British birth. It was a matter of great importance to us to he exceedingly careful respecting those who were permitted to use the franchise. It was important that we should continue to be the judges of the qualifications of the foreigner to share with us in the Government of this country. It had been suggested that our Act might be invalid because of conflict with the Imperial Act, but he thought otherwise. If the Imperial legislation governed our legislation and prevented us from legislating for ourselves, it was unfortunate. It seemed to him the matter was placed beyond argument by the Imperial Act of 1914 allowing New Zealand to legislate for itself. He thought the Bill avoided the question of authority altogether by proposing to declare that the law on this subject was declared in the Imperial Act as the law of New Zealand. It seemed to him a matter of overwhelming Importance that we should continue to hold the power we had and he would never be a party to bringing in a measure which would deprive us of that power.