PARLIAMENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 666, 19 October 1933, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

| (Press Assn.-

y jwednesday's sitting | ALIENS AMENDMENT BILL | INTRODUCED BY MR. FRASER | JUSTICE TO WOMEN

« -By Telegraph — Copyright).

| Wellington, Wednesday j In moving the second reading of the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Amendmenf Bill in the House of Representatives to-day, Mr. P. .Fraser (Lab., Wellington Geritral) said that its object was to grant the full privileges of British citizenship to New Zealand women who had married aliens. In his opinion they had possessed these privileges prior to 1923. Mr. H. G. R. Mason (Labour, Auckland Suburbs) said that if there had been a larger number of women affected, the law would have been altered. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Labour, Avon) asked what attitude the Government proposed to take up in the matter.- He hoped that facilities would be given for the bill to reach the Statute Book." . Mrs. E. R. McCombs (Labour, Lyttelton) said that this legislation had been asked for by women's organisations throughout New -Zealand., On this matter the women were practicr ally speaking with one voice. New Zealand was helping to withhold justice, not only from the women -of the Dominion but from the women of other countries. Until New Zealand came into line, no action could be taken in Great Britain. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, said that the issue was an Empire matter and could only be dealt with in that light. An endeavour had been made to secure uniform nationality for the British Empire but Great Britain had shown no disposition to relax the law which applied to thousands of women in Britain as against hundreds in New Zealand However, an alteration would be made if it could be shown that the New Zealand law was different to that of Britain. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. M. J. Savage, said that the Prime Minister apparently desired one law for men and one law for women. The present position was sheer humbug and it was just as well that the people of New Zealand should realise it. The Minister of Health (Hon. J. A. Young) said that he was in communication at the present time with the Home authorities in regard to the matter and he was awaitmg British legislation on the subject. As soon as the position was ascertained, legislation would be brought down. Mr. Fraser briefly replied and tbe second reading was agreed to on the voices.