OVERSEAS PASSENGERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 April 1920, Page 5

OVERSEAS PASSENGERS.

IMMIGRANTS' CREDENTIALS. REQUIREMENTS OF THJE ACT. The legislative provision made last session for preventing the landing of undesirable immigrants in the Dominion is stated by the police to be operating satisfactorily, though at times people who have hitherto had free access to the country, and who are now affected by the restrictions of the Act, complain of the delay occasioned by having to comply with its provisions. Section 4 of the Act provides that no person who iias been a subject of German}' or Austria-Hungary, or who was born in either of those countries, shall be allowed to land in the Dominion without a license issued by the Attorney-General. When the Customs officials in examining passports discover a passenger for the port who comes within the provision mentioned they report the matter to the police officer on board the ship, and the passenger is instructed as to what action is necessaijv in order to obtain a license to land. In the case of reputable persons this merely means the production of satisfactory credentials by the passenger, who is allowed to land as soon as the police are notified by telegram from Wellington that the license is being issued. A case occurred last week on the arrival of the Maheno, in which a man who has a bus!.:ess in Melbourne with a branch hi Aucklnnd, was required to obtain a license to land owing to the fact tliaf he had been born in Hamburg, his father being a naturalised American and his mother French. The passenger had been visiting Auckland during the war period without restriction and was not aware of the passing of the Act of last session. On being required by the Customs authorities to obtain a license to land he manifested considerable impatience, and. it is stated, landed surreptitiously, but' was seen by the police and brought back to the ship, where he was detained, until telegraphic advice, was received from the Attornoj'-Gencral that a license was being issued.