NATIONALITY QUESTION

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1925, Page 3

NATIONALITY QUESTION

AC ST It M. IAN A Nil N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION LONDON. Feb. 18. The House of Commons discussed, and ultimately adopted a private member’s motion submitted hv Major N. E. Harvey (Conservative, Totues) catling attention to the status of British ’million marrying aliens, and expressing the opinion that a British woman should not lose, or he deemed to lose, her nationality by the mere act ol marriage, hut should bo entitled to dodare alienage. I lie mover pointed out the mniiv existing anomalies and bari-shi-s so lie red hv British women marrying nationals of some foreign countries. particularly North America amt South America. Dr G l.ocker-f.ampsou (l ndei-bu-returv for tlie Home Office) said that proposals lmd been submitted to tin km.inio.is and if an agreement were reached .relief legislation could bo passLt \laior llarvev .minted out that il a woman married an Argentinian a Brazilian, or a Chilian, she lost hei British nationality, hut in the L mt States she became an American only alter residing there lor a year with he husband, and moanwluie she was n t entitled to British protection. Conversely a foreign woman ought to satis fv the authorities that she was a desirable person to become the wife of a Britisher. This would prevent the present marriages of undesirable Imcijrn women in order to escape depot tation penalties. . Sir L. I. ncker-Lampsoii pointed out , that a sub-committee of the linperia Coilferenee of 1923 had adapted a usolution that, the principle of the existing law ought to lie maintained, exccp. that a woman should he readmitted to British nationality where the marriage state .though olhemlly existing, had practically terminated 1 his along with another suggestion by a lainamentarv Joint Committee that a 'woman should not lose her British natioinalitv unless she was enabled to acquire that of her alien husband, was submitted to the Dominions last year.

Newfoundland alone, so ‘' \„■ t wa , practically impossl do to oca. Jvitl, Uie question on tin- Imos -m »».t----,nnlt.ss the Dominions agutd l-t looininiendeil tbcUouse to ™^ in _ ions tcpij " ■ ,i r. vtassen able, then legislation lould to 1 i 1 n media t e ly. a ,-nr~