A.—l

14

No prosecution is instituted against any person for refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance unless he also refuses to make a solemn affirmation in lieu thereof in the manner prescribed by section 50 of the Evidence Act, 1908. Tt is the policy of the Department, however, not to prosecute for this offence if the trainees concerned have conscientious objections to any form of oath, but are nevertheless complying in other respects with their military obligations. (7) Member of the Police Force. —The oath of office taken by members of the Police Force is set forth in section 11 of the Police Force Act, 1913, which reads : — " No person shall be capable of holding office as a member of the Force, or of acting in any way therein, until he has taken and subscribed the following oath before a Justice or such other person as the Governor may appoint to administer the same : — " I, , do swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Police Force, without favour or affection, malice or illwill, until I am legally discharged ; that I will see and cause His Majesty's peace to be kept and preserved ; that I will prevent to the best of my power all offences against the same ; and that while 1 continue to hold the said office I will to the best of my skill and knowledge discharge all the duties thereof according to law. So help me God." (8) Aliens ivho are naturalized British subjects in New Zealand. —Section 5, subsections (3) and (4), of the British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Act, 1923, reads as follows : — " (3) A certificate of naturalization shall not be issued to the applicant or have any effect until the Minister is satisfied that the Oath of Allegiance in the form set forth in the Second Schedule to this Act has been taken by the applicant before a Magistrate or a Justice of the Peace. " (4) Every Magistrate and every Justice of the Peace is hereby authorized to administer the said Oath of Allegiance to a person in whose favour the Minister has approved the grant of a certificate of naturalization." The Oath of Allegiance referred to in the Second Schedule to the Act is as under : — " I, , swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to his Majesty King George the Fifth, his heirs and successors, according to law." (9) Persons arriving in New Zealand. —Under section 16 of the Immigration Restriction Amendment Act, 1920, every person (not being a subject of His Majesty) of the age of fifteen years or more, except certain classes of persons as set out hereunder, proposing to enter New Zealand as a permanent resident or as a visitor, is on arrival and before landing in New Zealand required to take an oath in the following form : — "I. , being a subject of do swear that I will faithfully observe and obey the laws of New Zealand so long as I shall be resident in New Zealand, and that I will not in any manner aid or abet any breach of any such laws, and that I will not be concerned in any manner directly or indirectly in any act which would be disloyal to His Majesty King George the Fifth if committed by a subject of his said Majesty. So help me God." The following are the exceptions referred to above : — (1) His Majesty's land and sea forces : (2) The officers and crew of any ship-of-war of any Government : (3) Any person being one of the officers or crew of any mercantile vessel, provided that he is not discharged in New Zealand, and also that he is on board the vessel when she is cleared outwards and leaves New Zealand with her : (4) Any person duly accredited to the Government of New Zealand by or under the authority of the Imperial or any other Government. (10) Public Servants. —In Letters Patent passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom, dated 11th May, 1917, constituting the office of GovernorGeneral and Commander-in-Chief of the Dominion of New Zealand, it is directed