115

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minded Canadians. Their name is legion, and they are prompted only by one spirit. Their ardent desire is to join cordially and actively in building up the Empire on an enduring basis that it may long continue to confer benefits on the human race. Ottawa, 14th June, 1902.

APPENDIX XIII.

NATUBALISATION. No. 1. Governor-General the Earl of Minto (Canada) to Mr. Chamberlain. (Eeceived sth May, 1902. Sir, — Government House, Ottawa, 21st April, 1902. In reply to your circular despatch of the 10th October last asking for the views of this Government on the recommendations of the Home Departmental Committee in regard to the law relating to naturalisation, I have the honour to enclose a copy of an approved minute of the Privy Council, embodying a report on the subject by the Minister of Justice. It will be observed that Ministers express their concurrence in the principle that residence in any British possession should qualify for full naturalisation equally with residence in the United Kingdom ; but suggest that, in harmony with the amendment by which it is proposed to substitute " the King's dominions " for " the United Kingdom " in the declaration by the alien as to his place of future residence, it should also be provided that past residence for a period of five years within " the King's dominions," instead of within " the United Kingdom," should satisfy the condition of residence required by the naturalisation law. I have, &c, Minto.

Enclosure in No. 1. Extract from a Beport of the Committee of the Honourable the Privy Council, approved by His Excellency on the 12th April, 1902. The Committee of the Privy Council have had under consideration a circular despatch, dated 10th October, 1901, from the Bight Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, transmitting the report of the Departmental Committee appointed by the Secretary of State for the Home Department to consider the doubts and difficulties which have arisen in connection with the interpretation and administration of the Acts relating to naturalisation, and requesting to be advised whether legislation for the amendment of those Acts is desirable, and, if so, what scope and direction such legislation should take. The Minister of Justice, to whom the said despatch was referred, observes that the report of the Committee recommends that the existing law relating to the acquisition and loss of British nationality be consolidated with certain amendments suggested by them. Paragraph 31 suggests that if it appeared that under a law in force in any British possession the conditions to be fulfilled by aliens before admission to the rights, privileges, and capacities of British subjects to be enjoyed within the limits of the possession included conditions which were substantially the same as those required for the grant of certificates of naturalisation under an Act of the United Kingdom, the Governor of that possession should be empowered to grant a certificate of naturalisation to have the same effect as one granted by a Secretary of State. And the same paragraph further suggests that in all other cases the Governor might have power, in his discretion, to recommend to the Home Government for a certificate of naturalisation any alien whom he could certify to have satisfied within the possession conditions identical, mutatis mtitandis, with those required for naturalisation in the United Kingdom, and that the Secretary of State might in his discretion grant a certificate upon such recommendation. The Minister states that the law in force in Canada is less exacting than the proposed Imperial Act, and as the conditions therefore would not be " substantially the same," the GovernorGeneral of Canada would not be able to grant such certificate of naturalisation. The Governor-General in Canada would only be able under the second above-mentioned proposals to certify that an alien had satisfied in Canada the requirements, mutatis mutandis, for naturalisation in the United Kingdom. The Minister recommends that the Imperial authorities be advised of the approval of the Government of Canada of the principle that residence in one of the British possessions should qualify for full naturalisation in the same way as in the United Kingdom, and, further, that it would be simpler and avoid cases of hardship if the qualification with regard to past residence could be altered by substituting the words " the King's dominions " for " United Kingdom," in the same way as is proposed for the intention to be declared for future residence. The Minister states that under the law, as proposed to be amended, it would seem that an alien who had resided five years in either the United Kingdom or in Canada would be able to obtain full naturalisation, but an alien who had resided four years in the United Kingdom, followed by four years' residence in Canada, or vice versd, would be unable to obtain naturalisation in either country. 16—A. V.