ANTI-ALIEN LAW.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1920, Page 5

ANTI-ALIEN LAW.

SOME CASES OF HARDSHIP, MR. MASTERS' PLEA. (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. A strong appeal for the consideration nf cases of hardship in connection, with the operation of the anti-alien laws was made in tho House this evening by Mr. Masters (Stratford). Mr. Masters said that an injustice had been done to some worthy of this country. They had come here in tho early days at the invitation* of the Government, and had settled here in perfect good faith. Some of them had fought for this country in the Maori Wars, and had believed that when they took the oath of allegiance they became naturalised citizens. Thoy had found during the war that they were regarded by'the law as enemies, a:id thoy had suffered severe hardship. Men who had come here as_ infants with their parents, and had since married New Zealand girls, were treated as enemy subject?, because they,had been born in countries that becaina enemy countries in 1914, though they had regarded themselves a* New Zealanders all their lives. The wives of these men were similarly treated as enemies. Mr. Masters urged that, these hardships ought to receive the serious attention of tlie Government.