535

A—s

right to legislate and do what they like. lam afraid this clause will have the effect of preventing the Colonies from legislating on the question. That is the only objection I see to the Bill which is going to be introduced. Mr. DEAKIN : Generally the Bill appears to us to be a good one, and would certainly be of assistance in clearing up ambiguities which at present exist in the law. One point I may mention without entering into detail is that if clause 12 w T ere assimilated to clause 8, so that it might be acted upon without assigning any reason, that would be of advantage. The naturalization question furs few difficulties in Australia, except in regard to the admission of coloured races, and particularly coloured aliens. It is due to that apprehension that we have been and shall continue to be vigilant in guarding a possible use of this Bill. As, however, it does not appear in any way to impair the scope of our Immigration Acts, under which the education test is applied at discretion, this particular measure is not open to the objection that it weakens the force of those statutes. Under these circumstances we look forward with some expectancy to the passing of the Bill as likely to be of value to ourselves as well as to other Colonies. General BOTHA : I will ask for my memorandum to be read now The memorandum was read as follows: — " (1.) It is desired that an alien naturalized in any portion of His Majesty's Dominions should have to all intents and purposes, as from the date of his naturalization, the status of a natural born British subject not only within the ambit of the law under which ietters of naturalization are issued to him, but everywhere, except when the naturalized person is actually within the country of which, at the time of naturalization he was, and of which he still remains a subject. " (2.) In order to carry out this object a Bill has been drafted under the instructions of the Secretary of State for the Colonies consolidating and amending the enactments of the Imperial Parliament relating to aliens and naturalization. A copy of this Bill is included among the papers on the subject of naturalization sent to each of the Colonial Premiers. " (3.) The procedure laid down in section 26 of that Bill for conferring on an alien naturalized in a British possession outside the United Kingdom the status of a British subject everywhere, is not satisfactory. "(4.) It has been suggested that the Imperial Act relating to the naturalization of aliens should be so amended as to apply to every portion of His Majesty's Dominions. The objection to this suggestion is that it is not desirable that legislation should be imposed on a self-governing Colony except by the Parliament of such Colony. " (5.) The difficulty can be overcome by providing in the Imperial Act that so much of it as relates to the naturalization of aliens, their status when naturalized, as also the status of their wives and children may be put in force mutatis mutandis in any portion of His Majesty's Dominions, by a proclamation of the Governor thereof. In a self-governing Colony such proclamation would only be issued by the Governor on the advice of the responsible Ministers of such Colony. The clauses of the draft Bill which wolud be put in force under the proclamation would be sections 7 to-17 inclusive, section 18 (with the exception of subsections (2), (3), and (8)) and sections 20, 21, 24. and 25.

Fourteenth Day. 0 Hay 1907.

Xaturalization (Mr. Brodeur.)