11

A.—i

2. My Ministers advise me, in reply, that under the provisions of the Immigration Restriction Amendment Act, 1920, persons who are not of British birth and parentage, as defined by that Act, are not allowed to land in New Zealand unless they are in possession of permits authorizing them to do so, issued by the Customs Department. Application for a permit to enter New Zealand as a permanent resident must be made in the prescribed form and signed by the applicant, and be sent by post from the country of origin of the applicant or from the country where he has resided for a period of at least one year prior to the date of the application. 3. It is therefore necessary for intending immigrants of Swiss nationality to make application in the prescribed form, three copies of which are enclosed, and forward therewith the certificates of health and character and the photographs required by the form. On receipt of applications advice is sent whether permits can be granted. 4. Provision is made in the law to allow persons requiring permits to pay temporary visits to New Zealand for the purpose of business, pleasure, or health. Temporary permits are normally restricted to a period of six months, but may be extended if the proper authorities consider that the circumstances warrant such action. A deposit of £10 is required in respect of such temporary permits, and is returned on the departure of the visitor if the conditions of the temporary permit are complied with. 5. The following are the Acts and regulations relating to immigration restriction in force in New Zealand : — (a) Immigration Restriction Act, 1908. (b) Immigration Restriction Amendment Act, 1910. (c) Undesirable Immigrants Exclusion Act, 1919. (d) Immigration Restriction Amendment Act, 1920. (e) Immigration Restriction Amendment Act, 1923. (/) Regulations under the Immigration Restriction Act, .1920 ; gazetted on the 14th January, 1921. (g) Amending Regulations under the Immigration Restriction Acts ; gazetted on the 24th February, 1927. (h) Declaration to be made by persons arriving in New Zealand ; gazetted on the 24th February, 1927. (i) Additional Regulations under the Immigration Restriction Acts; gazetted on the 14th July, 1927. Three copies of each of the above-mentioned documents are enclosed. 6. It is necessary, of course, for persons of Swiss nationality arriving in New Zealand or Western Samoa to be in possession of valid passports. 7. The provisions of Part I of the Immigration Restriction Amendment Act, 1920 (the Part which relates to the granting of permits), are in force in Western Samoa, with the modification that the terms " The Minister of Customs " and " an officer of Customs " are construed as meaning the Administrator of Samoa. 8. Any Swiss national desiring a permit to enter Western Samoa should make application in the prescribed form (referred to above) to the Administrator of Samoa, Apia, who will advise him whether a permit can be granted. 9. Under the provisions of the Overseas Passenger's Landing Deposits Ordinance, 1925, three copies of which are enclosed, persons who land in the Territory of Western Samoa (with the exception of certain persons set forth in such Ordinance) are required to deposit with the Collector of Customs a sum not exceeding £50, to cover any expense which may be incurred in transporting them to the place from which they came or to some other place outside the Territory where they will be permitted to land. • I have, &c., CHARLES FERGUSSON, Governor-General. The Right Hon. Lord Passfield, 'Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs.