ENEMIES AND VOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1750, 23 August 1917, Page 3

ENEMIES AND VOTES.

QUEST I <>X OK NATURALISED sfp.ifcts,Thi‘ Naturalised Subjects Franchise Bill. introduced in Parliament by .Mr Vigor Brown, was considered by (lie Lcgisla.l ivc Committee ol' Urn New Zealand MnnicipaL As-ocia 1 inn ill Welling Imi yes! cnliiy. The Hill proposes tn deprive naturalised subjccls uJ.' enemy origin of I lie franchise, ;iml of (be right in sit in Parliament or on local governing bodies. The Chairman (Mr -I. P. Luke. C.Af.G.) considered that limy would lie (juite justilied in sending a cmiiiniinicnlion (o the Government urging that during the period of the war no nnnalnralised subject of enemy origin should be allowed to exercise the franchise on any subject, even I hough lie might be on the roll as a ratepayer. The meeting carried a motion to (his effect. Air J. W. Al’Ewan (Mayor of Petone) considered that they should go further, and prevent naturalised subjects of enemy origin from holding public position-. They may have been naturalised for many w. years, but they often retained a T feeling for their Fatherland. 'While the war was in progress they should not he allowed to hold office, especially if such office was in the gift of the Crown. There had been such cases lately, and they had caused great dissatisfaction. He moved — \ ‘’That no naturalised subject of enemy country should be appointed to any public office in the gift of the Crown/’ Air H. Baldwin (Mayor of Lower Hutt) seconded this. There were ' men, he said, not many miles from Wellington, who, two years ago, on the Kaiser’s birthday, drank theKaiser’s health. They had been earning their living amongst the British for many years, and some of them held high positions. The motion was carried unanimously.