IS THIS THE LAW?

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10104, 23 March 1909, Page 3

IS THIS THE LAW?

(Pet. Press Association.) Lyttelton, March 25. A strange circumstance has come to Hint in connection with a man named Baldwin, a steerage passenger on the Kfeshire. He went to Fngland in 1926 for the benerit of his health" and returned by the Fifeshire, intending to go home to Invercargill, where he lived for 30 years. Being partially paralysed in the legs_ the Customs Department in Auckland refused to allow him to land under section 4 of the Immigration Restriction Act. The man has been living on board all the time the vessel was on the coast and has vainly tried to communicate with Ids relatives and presumes they do not want him. Mr Laurenson wired "the Minister of Customs su'-riresting that clause 17 covered the case, releasing returning New Zealanders from prohibition, and it was expected that the man would be released.. During last evening Baldwin took the law into his own hands and came ashore with his belongings, presumably having had some assistance, and has not been found. If he had stayed on board and no alteration had been made in the attitude of the officials he would have l>een compelled to return to England in the vessel, which sails todav. Much indignation is expressed that an"old resident with a family in the colony havin-j gone- to England in search of health should ""!« prevented from returning on account of infirmity, especially as the paralysis is alleged to have been contracted during his employment in Invercargill.