EVADING THE POLL TAX.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13874, 8 May 1917, Page 2

EVADING THE POLL TAX.

A WILY CHINAMAN. MAXIMUM PENALTY IMPOSED. WELLINGTON, May 4. A Chinaman named Wong Wall, aged 24, appeared before Mr L. G. Reid, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon charged with entering New Zealand without having paid the sum of £IOO as required by the Immigration Restriction Act, 1908," also with landing in jNcw Zealand without having fulfilled the requirements" of section 42 of the said Act.

Mr P. S, K. Macassey appeared for the Crown, and Mr M. Myers for the defendant,

When the. ease was called, MiMyers stated that he had had an opportunity of discussing the matter with defendant, also of seeing the attestations, arid., he had advised defendant to withdraw his plea of not guilty and plead guilty. On this statement being interpreted defendant agreed to this course, ami pleaded guilty.

Mr Macassey said Wong Walii,. arrived in Auckland on April 25, 1910, from Fiji, and represented that lie was a banana plantation worker, and had come to New Zealand for medical advice. He was granted a license to ?c----main in New Zealand for a period of six months, and the license expired in October'l9ls. The defendant in the meantime came on to Wellington and represented himself as another Chinaman named Ah Tong, and under this name he obtained a permit to leave the country temporarily, and receiving the papers lie went back to Auckland, and from there he left for Sydney. He returned to Wellington in October, 1916, and landed without paying £IOO poll tax. ' It was a well-planned scheme to evade tlift-provisions pf the Immigration Restriction Act.

The Maigstrate said it was a-case for the maximum penalty, and imposed a fine of £SO, in default 12 months' imprisonment. This was on the second charge of lauding in New Zealand. The first chargte' was, adjourned-sine, die; Mr Myers said it would be for the Customs Department to say whether they wanted' the man removed from

New, Zealand or whether they would alloiiv him to remain,' If they allowed him to remain then the poll tax of

£IOO and- the finfr of £SO would be found- by Chinese residents,. : If[ the

iDepartmpt decided to'-'send himlway then the poll tax and fine would hot be paid,- as tlie, man : himself hail' jio Th " o seemed; it* be no 'sense, infkeeping 'the niaii' in| gaol for a year/ .at the expense:of■ tjip country, when th J o,