PERMITS TO LEAVE N.Z.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2629, 26 November 1915, Page 6

PERMITS TO LEAVE N.Z.

A BIG BUSINESS

MORE P-REOAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN

During thjs week the Intornar Affaire 'Department* las had to deal'with many applications for permits, to . teave . Now Zealand. - Of these jgoine/few- have been refused, :Some have been' adjourned for inquiry, and • a greater numberfrom applicants able to show cause have been granted.- ' ■ . . . •.

.The strain, upon tho Internal; Affairs •Department is much greater l than was ,<jvor when the' regular tions were . originally -made," .said the Hon. G. : W. Russell i yesterday. "Although -it is only .ten days since the regulations were passed by the-Council, over ''500 applications liavo been dealt with by the Department. The business has grown so rapidly and so largely that we intend'to. deal'with it-upon a much wider basis., Et is intended that officers shall be appointed at practically all tho loading ports of the Dominion, and to those officers will be delegated power to issue permits. A set of general instructions for their guidance will be issued by the Department, and they will be required to refer all doubtful cases to the head office for decision. .An officer of the Department will proceed to Auckland for the purpose of dealing with applications from men who wish to sail by the Niagara on Tuesday. "A hew condition wo intend to introduce is that every application for a permit will require to be supported by a photograph. of the person applying; which will be affixed to the permits, as is required in tho case of a passport; This will enable-file officer to whom the permit is shown"-by the holder of it .on the eve of'his departure,. to satisfy' himself .that tkero has been no transfer of the permit, and that the 1 person to whom' it is granted is in fact tho person who is going away. ' 'To make the scheme thoroughly effective, officers will be appointed not only at oil, the main ports, but also at the -secondary' ports from which overseas ships occasionally, leave. The object of appointing numerous officers is not only to have men on the spot, but facilitate inquiry by persons who come from a distance. For. example, both Invercargill and Bluff will be appointed places at which officers are to De star tioned."