NATURALISATION LAW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18019, 18 February 1922, Page 9

NATURALISATION LAW.

THE EMPIRE STANDPOINT,

SEEKING UNIFORMITY.

POSITION OF DOMINIONS

[by telegratu.—own correspondent.]

WELLINGTON, Friday.

the Dominion Governments have been blamed in the House of Commons, accord | n ? to a cablegram, for delay in expressnig their opinions concerning a proposed amendment of the BritLsh nationality status under the Aliens Act, 1914. Mr Chamberlain is reported to have said that the securing of uniform legislation throughout the Empire is important, hut that the Dominions must be allowed to answer in their own time. This statement appears to refer to the suggestion that a person who is naturalised in ono Statu of the Empire should automatically become a citizen of the whole Empire. Each State has its naturalisation law at the present time and the foreigner who receives natuia!isntion papers in Great Britain, for example, does not thereby becomo a citizen of Ntw Zea land or of Australia. The matter hits been discussed at several Imperial Con ferenccs and (ho representatives of tho British Government have favoured a uniform naturalisation law with common British ciUensmp. The discussion has neu-i been carried to finality, but the fact ha* been mado fairly clear that tho Dominion-, are not willing at present to sacrifice thenright to choose their own citizens. The Government and Parliament of New Ze.i land certainly would not agree that a German or a Chinaman should have rights of citizenship in this Dominion conferred upon him by the act of the Government of another State.

Another question of nationality has en gaged the attention of the Imperil Conferences. It concerns the status of children born in foreign countries of British parents. The last conference had before it a memorandum prepared by the Home Office on this subject. The memorandum sugeested that such children should retain British nationality provided that they mado a suitable declaration on reaching adult, years. The conference d» cided to refer this proposal to the favourable consideration of the Governments of the Dominions, but New Zealand at any rate has not yet dealt with the matter by legislation.