THE COLONIST. Published Daily—Mornings. Nelson, Friday, October 5, 1894. UNDESIRABLE IMMTGRANTS EXCLUSION BILL.

Colonist, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8062, 5 October 1894, Page 2

THE COLONIST. Published Daily — Mornings. Nelson, Friday, October 5, 1894. UNDESIRABLE IMMTGRANTS EXCLUSION BILL.

Until the oiroulation of the Bill bearing the above title, and of which the Hon W. P. Reeves is the reputed author, the colleague ol that gentleman, the Minister for Lands, enjoyed the unenviable reputation of having prepared the most rldiouloua Bill that ever bore the name ol a New Zealand Minister ol the Grown. In the Bill now under notioe, the word "pauper" is given a meaning that may not rightfully be attached lo the term, and a strong protest is called for against the apparently growing desire to give a new significance to an old word by the power of an Act of Parliament. The term pauper is in'erpteted to include ■' every adult who, in addition to his or her goods and chattels, shall, if unmarried, not possess at least £20 ; if a male adult, and married, £30, in addition to £10 in respect of every child accompanying such adult." Under this Bill every " prohibited " person is forbidden, under pains and penalties, to land ia New Zealand, and those " prohibited " include every contract workman, imbecile, idiot, insane person, cripple, pauper, habitual drunkard, every person likely from any cause to become a charge on the public funds, every person suffering from tuberculosis or leprosy, every person who has been adjudged guilty ia any oountry of any offence involving (if such offence were committed in New Zealand) imprisonment for not less than twelve months. In the event of the Bill passing into law, it would become the duty of the master of every ship arriving ia the Colony, before landing any passengers, to furnish lists Riving the names, ages, and conditions of each, together with information as to whether each immigrant has paid hi 9or her own passage, or whether it has been paid by someone else, Bnd if so, by whom ; whether such per.on was ever in prison, or almshouse, or supported by charity ; whether such person was under contract, either expresß or implied, to perform labor in New Zealand. In addition to all this, the master of the ship would have to state the condition of each immigrant's health, mentally and physically, whether he or she was deformed or cripplied, and if so, from what cause. The particulars so furnished would have to be declared to by the ir aster and surgeon of the ship, and those who did not come under the category of "prohibited" persons would be granted a certificate by the Immigration Officer, and for every person landing who did not possess such a certificate there would be a liability to a penalty of £50. Any shipmaster failing to supply suoh a list as above referred to would be liable to a penalty of £50, and if within 12 months of his arrival in the Colooy any person on the grounds of destitution applied for work or assistance to any local body, Charitable Aid Board, or other public institution, or become a charge on the rates, the owner of the ship from which he landed would be required to pay maintenance, and take him back to the port from which he came, under a penalty of £50. Special provision is made for tourists, but after six months from the date ofa tourist landing he would become a prohibited person, unless he obtained extension of time or a certificate/ Fart II of the Bill relates to Chinese and other Asiatios, and of these not more than one to every 100 tons register may be carried in any ship, and a poll tax of £50 is required.. The Chinaman or the Asiatic who a' tempts to evade the tax will be liable to a fine of £10 or twelve months imprisonment, but though he be imprisoned he willttill be liable to the poll tax, and may be recommitted till, the same is paid. It is also worthy of note that under th : s precious measure any New Zealanders who have been absent from the Colony for three years will be t.eaed as aliens, and even though they were born in the Colony, could not re-enter it unles3 they obtained a certificate, or as tourists, but even they could not land if they were suffering from tuberculosis. ; II this measure is to be taken as showing the drift of legislation under the present occupants of the Ministerial benobe's, then the awner these men make way for

-better the more advantageous it will : : biS It requires no argument to demonstrate that\ the i restrictions, pr. posed to be placed upon the owners and masters of vessels tradicg to this Colony wou'd, if enforced, put a complete (top vto communication with the outside world. To enforce; the measure, however, such an army of inspectors would be needed to prevent so called " Undesirable Immigrants" landing, that at once the bare proposal stands forth: bs supremely ridiculous. That such a measure should be circulated at a time when Parliament is occupied with matters of great concern is discreditable.