ALIEN IMMIGRATION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2026, 12 August 1920, Page 19 (Supplement)

ALIEN IMMIGRATION.

MEASURE OF RESTRICTION, BILL BEFORE PARLIAMENT. [From Our Own Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, August 12. By the Government's Immigration Restriction Amendment Bill, which has been introduced in the House of Representatives, the present education test prescribed for foreigners is abolished, and there is substituted a test of suitability to be settlers in New Zealand. All persons who are actually of British or Irish birth and parentage (except criminals, Asiatics and persons suffering from loathsome diseases) may enter and become settlers in New Zealand, without any condition other than that of taking the oath of allegiance. Persons who are not of British or Irish birth and parentage may come to New Zealand as visitors for business) health, or pleasure purposes, but persons who are not of British or Irish birth and parentage, who enter New Zealand with the intention of becoming settlers in the country, are required to make previous application in writing, sent by post from the country of their residence, setting forth in detail their intentions and their qualifications to become settlers.

If the Minister of Customs is satisfied, he may grant a permit. The possession of such permit is a condition of right of a foreigner to enter New Zealand otherwise than as a visitor.

Provision 'is made for exemption, by proclamation of the Governor-General, of nations and races from the provisions, of the Aqt. Power is also reserved to the Minister of Customs to grant exemption in the case of any particular person. In addition to this, all persons, other than members of his Majesty's land and sea forces, the officers and crews of ships of war of foreign governments, merchant seamen, and representatives of foreign Powers, who enter New Zealand, must, in future, take an oath of allegiance. If they are British subjects they must, swear allegiance to the King, arid, if they are subjects of a foreign Power, they must take an oath to obey the laws of New Zealand.

The substitution of prior application for a permit, in place of the education test, has, in the case of Chinese, enabled the Government to. propose, in this Bill, the repeal of the amending Act of 1908, containing the provision as to thumbprints of Chinese, in regard to which the accredited representative of China has niade serious official complaint. The poll tax on ; Chinese remains as at present. ■