UTILITY OF FINGER PRINTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 815, 12 May 1910, Page 2

UTILITY OF FINGER PRINTS.

AT OTJE OWN WHARVES.

Inquiry made locally into the working of the" Immigration Eestriction Act of 1908, as it applies particularly to. Chinese, goes to show that the Act has been effective in its operation. Under the old A.ot which provided for the payment of .a poll-tax of J3IOO, Chinese continued to reach New Zealand in considerable numbers. Tho addition of a further section making it unlawful for any Chinaman to land in Now Zealand until he had proved to the satisfaction of a collector of Customs or principal officer that he was able to read a printed passage of not less tha» 100 words in the. English language, such passage to be selected at the discretion of the collector or other principal officer, has altered the position of affairs.' Sinc« the Act came into force on October 23, 1908, 101 Chinese have landed at Wellington, and 300 have left this port. The arrivals included 33 transhipped ■to ■Tahiti, and the remainder all proved to the satisfaction of the Customs Department • that they had been residents of New Zealand previously. Thus it will be seen that r no new Chinese have arrived here sines the passing of the Act. The finger-print system is the principal; means by which the identity of the Chinaman is established. When a Chinaman leaves New Zealand his name is registered in the Customs Department. .records, together with his. photograph, fingerprints, and a general description. Should he return to New Zealand at any time within four years of the date, of registration of the details, and if he can produce the duplicate of the photograph, finger-prints, and description, and these > (ally with the bearer, he is' re-admitted. In the case of Chinese arriving for the first time a certificate bearing a description of the new arrival and his fingerprints is issued to him, and this certificate may bo demanded to be produced by the Department at any time should occasion .arise. , ■ ■ ■■ . '