PASSPORT SYSTEM.

Colonist, Volume LXII, Issue 15307, 21 February 1920, Page 2

PASSPORT SYSTEM.

WHY IT IS RETAINED.

I The post-war retention of the New ' Zealand passport system, concerning which comment was made some time 5 ago, was carefully explaned by Mr J. Hislop, under-Secretary of Internal Affairs, to a representative of the ".Lyttelton Times.'' Mr Hislop pointed out that the procedure in regard to passports and per•it its in New Zealand had been very considerably simplified of late by the Minister or Internal Affairs. Visitors . to those countries where passports -were essential did. not now need to obtain ' permits to • leave the Dominion J and travellers to Australia, Fiji and Samoa required permits only. The local permit officers at New Zealand eenfres were vested with authority to issue permits to reputable citizens wishing to visit Australia, without reference to the head office in Wellington. The inquiries with regard to permits which had previously in every case "been made through the Police Department were now necessary only in the case of persons unknown to the Department. This , had all been done with the.object of assisting the business man who might have to make a hurried trip to Australia or the. South Sea Islands to do so with as little inconvenience and delay ias possible. Asked if there were any other reasons than that already given for the retention of the passport system, viz.. that so long as other countries retain the passport system New Zealand must do so also, Mr Hislop replied that there 1 were still' a number of military defaulters who had nht been traced, and it was necessary, if they were to be : brought to justice, that a check should be kept upon people leaving the coun- '• try. As a matter of fact, the passport 1 system had proved an actual reform in ; many directions. By means of it a :. close cheek could be kept upon the « movements of undesirables.^ alien \ enemies, and those whose honesty might 'be questioned. It had been of material • assistance to the police, other Govern- • ment Departments, and the community ■ generally. Further, the application of passport systems in other countries had • helped to purify our immigration.