PERMITS WANTED.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1915, Page 3

PERMITS WANTED.

INTENDING TRAVELLERS APPLY. YOUNG MEN WISH TO GO ABROAD. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Nov. 24. Wellington people who had occasion to visit the Government Buildings to-day had their attention drawn to the office of the Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs by the presence of a group of men, most of them under thirty years of age, waiting to make application for permits to leave New Zealand. The composition of the group varied during the day, but a reporter who paid several visits to the buildings did net find fewer than three men waiting on any occasion. Each applicant had to state his case to the Under-Secretary, and it was easy to gather from the expression of those emerging from the officer's room that permits were not being granted until good reason had been shown.

At one stage during the day seven men were waiting their turus to make their applications for permits. Two of them had no difficulty at all. They were uniformed members of the Australian Expeditionary Forces, taking a holiday ou sick leave, and they did not have to wait long for their permits. Another man was an Australian over here on business, and he also was able to get the necessary document as soon as he had made his case clear. But, the reporter gathered that the other applicants were having more difficulty in showing the authorities that there 'were sufficient grounds for their projected departure from New Zealand. it seemed that one man wanted to go to America on a health trip, his notion being to "take the waters." He received coldly a suggestion that in view of the war and in order to avoid any misunderstanding of his motives it would be well to «ive Rotorua a turn.

T'ne stream of applicants for permits lias been almost continuous during the last day or two, and a reporter who made inquiries on the point gathered that the proportions of rejections and postponements had been fairly large. Some of the men who have obtained the necessary forms have not returned them to the Department, probably because they realised that they could not answer the questions in a satisfactory manner. Other men, usually quite young ones, have been unable to show that they had substantial reason for leaving New Zealand" at this juncture, apart from any possible objection they might have to military service. Many of the applicants, as might he expected, have 'no difficulty in showing that they are going abroad in the ordinary course of bus£ ness or for good persona.' reasons, and their cases are disposed of quickly. The Minister for Internal Affairs (Hon. G. W. Russell) is taking steps to facilitate the consideration of applications, in order that there may be no unnecessary delay at any point. In the meantime men who are thinking of travelling just now had hotter understand that the new regulations are no mere forms. The man of military age who wants to leave New Zealand at the present time has got to show good and sufficient reason why he should be granted a permit to do so. If be cannot show the reason he will not get the permit.