AN ALIEN POETESS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18896, 23 June 1923, Page 7

AN ALIEN POETESS.

QUESTION OF REPORTING TO POLICE. (Fnoii Onn Own Cohuespon dent. ) WELLINGTON, June 22. That a Now Zealand poetess—Madame Hamelius (nee Dora Wilcox) —was submitted to tho indignity of having to report herself to every police station in every town she visited was tho subject of an interview with that lady published in a Wellington paper to-day. The official explanation conveys an entirely different impression. This was made by tho official concerned as follows: “Madame Hamelius stated that she I.id been exempted by tho Horne Secretary; and when she came to mo and presented her credentials she was immediately exempted from further reporting her changes of address to the police. Under tho Alien Restriction Act she is an alien, and (ho law refers to aliens, but if she has any reasons or any evidence to sumbit that she should bo exempted from tho provisions of tho Act there is power to do so on their being presented. This privilege is frequently accorded to distinguished visitors and persons who have served in the forces on presentation of their credentials. Had Madame Hiuriclius done so in tho first instance she would have had nothing to complain of. Obviously tho ordinary constable it not vested with discretionary [lower, which rests with tho Minister.”