NEW DEPORTATION BILL

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12357, 29 January 1926, Page 7

NEW DEPORTATION BILL

fOR MAINTENANCE OF ORDER IN AUSTRALIA AMENDMENT TO CRIMES ACT DRASTIC PENALTIES FOR ENCOURAGING INDUSTRIAL STRIFE By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. (Received January 29, 0.10 a.m.) MELBOURNE, January 29. In the House of Representatives Mr G. S. Latham, the Attor-ney-General, introduced the Crimes Act Amendment Bill, which, he said, was brought in to fulfil the clear and definite mandate of the people. He added that as the Labour Party was a party of law and order, he relied on the unanimous support of the House in the maintenance of law and order. The Bill provides for deportation penalties in certain cases, along similar lines to those provided in the Immigration Act, and declares that: any body of persons advocating or encouraging the overthrow of the Constitution by revolution, or sabotage, or the overthrow by force of the established Government of the Commonwealth or State, or of any organised government, or the destruction or injury of any Commonwealth property, or property used in commerce with other countries or States, shall be deemed an unlawful association, and the office-bearers of such association shall be liable to 12 months’ imprisonment. A similar penalty is provided for teaching in any institution or school conducted ( under the authority of an unlawful association. The Bill also provides a penalty of two years’ imprisonment for any person who by speech or writing encourages the perpetration of any of these, offences, and, if the offender was not born in Australia, deportation by order of the Attorney-General. Provision is also made for the Governor-General, by proclamation, to declare that a state of serious industrial disturbance exists, and any person who during the operation of such a proclamation participates in or encourages the continuance of a lock-out or a strike in relation to transport in trade or commerce, or to employment in any public service shall be guilty of an offence, and, if not born in Australia, shall be liable to deportation byorder of the Attorney-General, with whom lies the sole authority to deport.