AN ALIEN'S DIFFICULTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3030, 10 April 1912, Page 13

AN ALIEN'S DIFFICULTIES.

PALMERSTON N., April 5. There has been in Palmerston North for the last three weeks Mrs Elliott, widow of an Englishman and daughter of a Scotch father and grandfather and an Eurasian mother. Her father and brothers are tea planters in Ceylon. Mrs Eliott herself has two children in Ceylon. She came with Mrs Geo. Stockwell, of Palmerston North. to nurse her grandchild, who was ordered from Ceylon as it was dying of dysentry and malaria, and she brought the child over to New Zealand. The party came from Ceylon by the Orient line. No difficulty was anticipated on leaving Cevlon as to her being able to return there. At Fremantlo tho difficulties began. Under tho alien law a bond for £IOO vvas signed. From Sydney she desired ;o re turn to her home, but the shipping authorities would not permit it on the grounds that the undertaking was that she should come on to New Zealand and that this engagement must be fulfilled. She came here, but when it is now proposed that she should return the Orient Company has comr.uuicated through the Union Steam Shi]) Compan" that it cannot under tho alien law take her back, and therefore the Union Company cannot take her to Sydney. Tho next effect is that a British' subject and the wife and daughter of Englishmen and Scotchmen through three generati. :is is blocked from going out i .' the country, because, someone holds, she should not have come into it. Mrs Eliott is greatly concerned at tho sit- ation to wh*ch the Australian arrangements, as into, reted by tho Sydney office of the Orie. u Company, has brought her. There is no difficult, on the New Zealand side, as the Union Ste;m Ship Company, if assured that it will be all right on the Sydney side, will take Mis Eliott to that port. '