71

A.—2,

No. 78. New Zealand, No. 601. My Lord, — Downing Street, 31st December, 1914. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the consideration of your Ministers, a copy of a letter from the Home Office, enclosing a draft of the regulations which are being issued under section 19 of the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914, and of the instructions which it is proposed to issue as to applications for certificates of naturalization by aliens resident in the United Kingdom. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, G.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-1,1915. No. 62.

Enclosures. Sir,— Home Office, Whitehall, 18th December, 1914. I am directed by Mr. Secretary McKenna to transmit to you herewith, to be laid before Mr. Secretary Harcourt, a draft of regulations under section 19 of the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914. As the Act comes into operation on the Ist January next, and it is necessary that the regulations should be in force by that date, Mr. McKenna proposes, subject to any minor alterations or additions that may be found necessary, to make these regulations in the next few days. He had intended, before making the regulations, to suggest that a draft should be circulated to the Governments of the Dominions specified in the First Schedule to the Act, with a view to obtaining their observations; but the extremely heavy pressure of work in this Department resulting from the war has, he regrets to say, made this impracticable. Mr. McKenna would propose, however, to make these regulations as provisional regulations only, and if Mr. Harcourt agrees that the draft should be circulated to the Dominions he will be ready to consider any observations and suggestions which the respective Governments may desire to make and, if necessary, to revise the regulations and make them afresh. It may be convenient also to consult the Dominion Governments with regard to the procedure to be adopted in the case of applicants for certificates of naturalization whose qualifying period of residence comprises residence in the Dominions. A rough draft of the instructions proposed to be issued by the Secretary of State under the new Act is enclosed herewith, and it will be seen that the application is required to be by way of a memorial supported by statutory declarations made by competent and trustworthy persons who are able of their personal knowledge to testify to the facts alleged. As regards residence and character in the United Kingdom, it will be possible to continue the practice of making careful inquiry through the police with reference to these persons and the truth of their statements, and the Secretary of State will, have the police report, before him in deciding whether or not to comply with the application. As regards residence and character in the Dominions, some new procedure will be necessary, and the alternatives would appear to be either (a) to require the applicant himself to take the necessary steps to have his residence and character certified by some responsible authority in the Dominion before making his application to the Secretary of State, and to submit the certificates along with his application (see paragraph 6 of enclosed draft instructions), in which case it might not be necessary for the Secretary of State to inquire further into the matter, or (b) for the Secretary of State to accept declarations made by private persons and to refer them, together with the memorial, to the Dominion authorities for inquiry. Mr. McKenna would be glad to have the views of the Dominion Governments as to the best way in their opinion for the Home Government to satisfy itself in regard to matters in these applications relating to the Dominions. A similar point arises as regards possessions other than self-governing Dominions, and can no doubt be settled between the two Departments. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Edward Troup. BRITISH NATIONALITY AND\STATTJS ALIENS.—DRAFT REGULATIONS. In the exercise of the powers conferred on me by the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act"). T, the Right Honourable Reginald McKenna, one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, make the following regulations :— 1. A certificate of naturalization granted in the United Kingdom, in which the names of children of the person naturalized are not included in accordance with subsection (1) of section 5 of the Act, shall be in the following form :— British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914. Certificate of Naturalization. Whereas A. B. has applied to me for a certificate of naturalization, alleging with respect to himself [herself] the particulars set out below, and has satisfied me that the conditions laid down in the above-mentioned Act for the grant of a certificate of naturalization are fulfilled in his [her] case: