ALIENS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 September 1917, Page 4

ALIENS.

LEGISLATORS KEENLY CONCERNED. j NORTH AUCKLAND PROBLEM. WELLINGTON, Sept 11. Members of the House showed a lively interest to-night ill discouraging further inroads of enemy Midi's into New Zealand affairs. The discussion arose oyer the second reading of the Registration of Aliens Bill, moved by the Hon G. \V. Russell, who stated that the Bill would provide lor effective control not only during the war, but afterwards. They were not going to allow Germans to come in as freely as they had before the war. (Hear, hear.) He hoped also they would not give facilities to men of enemy race to try by their well-known methods to capture the trade of the Dominion. The following was the number of aliens resident in New Zealand. They comprised aliens from Austro-Hungary, 2,131; German Empire, 4,015 : Denmaik, 2,262 ; Chinese, 2,611 ; other foreign c'ountrier 5.552 ; total 1 907 1 - Probably the figures regarding Chinese were underestimated.

Mr Poole suggested giving special attention to North Auckland, where there was a, good deal of feeling over aliens at 13/ a week getting good billets of hoys who went to the front Alien masters of vessels had been discoursed at the instance of the Merchant Service Guild, but sonic had .hoc*n reinstated in positions of (not. -Tlris''< light to he looked into. (Hoar, hear.) He, complimented the Government upon the introduction of the Bill, hut warned the Minister of Marino against the results of the easy-going system on the New Zealand coast, where foreigners got a chance of gaining a good knowledge of onr narrow waters, lie knew of a case where an American barque was short of a mate and picked up a foreigner on the Auckland wharf, who knew so much that the vessel made an attempt to leave without a pilot until the pilot launch overhauled it, and as a matter of form put a pilot aboard to comply with tiro regulations

Dr Newman complained of men of enemy* parentage holding* good salaried billets iri the Government service and nobody* could touch them because they were born here and were naturalised. Dr Thacker : There is one in Wellington buying War Ronds.

Dr Newman : They don’t subscribe to patriotic funds. These half Huns don’t do anything to help the country. Dr Thacker: We will put yon into the National Government. You'll stir them up. Mr Pearce uVged the Government to prevent all aliens holding land.

Mr Brown favoured the stronger measures contained in the New South Wales legislation. In committee he would move same strong amendments, which would show how far the Government would go. Mr Reed declar.<l that his constituents were not satisfied with the policy of do nothing in regard to the Dalmatians and Croatians of the Far North. "

Mr Poole: What about.- the Royal Commission ? Mr* Reed : It was worse than do nothing: it was an absolute farce. They simply reporied that they found no evidence that these man were* di.-loynl.

Ml* Massey : They found they wove loyal. We cannot conscript, them, hut if naturalised we can accept thorn. The British Government says it is bolter to be safe than send them.

Mi* Heed suggested putting tlies-e men to public work. Many would welcome some-action, as the public in the north resented these ablebodied, trained soldiers being* allowed to remain inseciuity while our men went away to fight for them.

The Minister of Defence stated that none but natural born British ; subjects could be included in Expeditionary Force reserve. As for file suggestion th.it Dalmatians could lie utilised among their own countrymen in Serbia the Government had offered to arrange to send these men. Then a question arose regarding pay. The men then_ refused logo at the Serbian rate of a few pence daily and. some hectares oMand. They wanted New Zealand rates. They were doing useful work where they were, so what was the use of keeping them interned in idleness,