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The Daily News. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1917. BELATED WAR LEGISLATION.

The War Legislation Amendment Hill brought before the House of Representatives by the Attorney General last Wednesday contains provisions that are very much overdue, but most of which have been advocated almost since the war started. This legislation has been so long delayed that it was almost d«paired of, so that its advent should hailed with satisfaction. There is » probability that some of the provisions •would be considered drastic, but that is inevitable. The question of the purchase and ownership of land by aliens has for a long time past been strongly debated, It being felt that it was nothing less that •x scandal to allow these aliens, who are not subject to military service, to absorb land which should be held only by bona fide British subjects. The Government's decision is not to interfere with rights to land acquired" by naturalised enemy aliens, but that in the cas* of the unpaturalised steps should be taken to have the land vested in the Crown. Knowing what we do of the German system which encourages the naturalisation of Germans in other countries, but still claims them as German subjects, it is doubtful if the Bill goes sufficiently fir in protecting naturalised aliens. There are some, it is admitted, whose loyalty to Britain is beyond question, but it greatly depends on which part of Germany they migrated from, and it is reasonable to assume that, for instance,, while Prussians should be severely cut off from all privileges, Saxons and others may be trusted to completely throw off their former allegiance. Another very necessary provision is the voidance of contracts entered into with enemy subjects, and the deprivation of electoral rights, a distinction being properly made, between friendly aliens and enemy aliens. No naturalised enemy alien, known toj have sympathy with the enemy, should be allowed any privilege in New Zealand, but should be compelled to work under. Government supervision. To relieve soldiers from the onus of contracts entered into before being called upon to serve is only just. No contract that is affected by war conditions should be allowed to be enforced where the circumstances are such as to create undue hardship The temporary abolition of the age limit in the public service should have been eliminated long since in view of the demand on tho services of the younger men for the reinforcements. There are many glaring instances where men in various departments of the State have been retired under the aee limit and yet have been perfectly fit for further work, and at a time when every man is sorely needed as a worker it has been scandalous that so many have been relegated to enforced idleness. The power which the Government is taking to control the expenditure of private capital on non-essentfals, such as the erection of places of amusement, is preeminently a war measure based on the ground that both capital and labor are required for more useful purposes. There can be no two opinions as to the propriety of stopping a foreign company, especially one in which enemy aliens are , inte'eHed, from commencing busino»i in

the Dominion with a view to controlling any trade or industry. Probably the most popular provision, from a patriot's point of view, is that which gives power to compel any idle person, whether an alien or not, to be set to work, though much will depend on the delinition of the word "idle." Apparently the Government is at last facing the possibility of having to organise industry and business undertakings. The need for national organisation has been acutely felt, but even now it is only regarded a possible contingency, though the necessary powers are being incorporated in the Bill, or at least some of them. Taken as a whole, there is a great deal in the Bill to commond it, and its passage through committee showed that it was an acceptable measure. That, however, is only tho first step, for the real value of any Act is only demonstrated when its provisions are put into force, and this is frequently where the weak link in the chain is to be found. Without doubt, there are other powers that ought to have been included, notably as to dealing with military service defaulters, upon whom the full' ..ressure of the law should operate. They have by their discreditable conduct forfeited all rights as citizens and should be deprived of all privileges enjoyed by the loyal members of the community.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19171027.2.17

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1917, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
755

The Daily News. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1917. BELATED WAR LEGISLATION. Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1917. BELATED WAR LEGISLATION. Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1917, Page 4

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