all overseas immigrants enter as steerage passengers, and their records are kept separately from those of travelers. ASSISTED IMMIGRATION A system of assisted immigration prevails in New Zealand for people of the United Kingdom. There is a constant demand for British farm laborers and domestic servants, but these, if assisted, must agree to follow their occupations for at least a year after arrival or forfeit the monetary assistance rendered. A High Commissioner of New Zealand, resident in London, has power to grant assistance to third class passengers as follows: Farmers 24 to 30 pounds, according to location of berth. Domestic Servants: Free passage and grant of 2 pounds. Since 1871, with the exception of the period from 1892 to 1903 inclusive, New Zealand has experimented with various systems of assisted immigration. Up to 1884, in order to get desirable settlers, free passages were granted as a rule. The actual number 10 of assisted immigrants is shown below. That is, a grand total of 161,570 assisted immigrants arrived in New Zealand during the years specified, and all of these, with the exception of 3,909 from the continent of Europe in the five-year period beginning in 1874, came from the United Kingdom. The Dominion exercises care in the reception of assisted immigrants. This is particularly true in the case of assisted female domestic workers. These girls travel under the super- . vision of competent matrons and on arrival are met by the Girls' Superintendent of the Department of Immigration. They are then sent to their places, if they have come under engagement; if they have not, the Department secures employment for them. In the meantime, they are lodged in homes approved by the Minister of Immigration. The Department endeavors to keep in touch with such girls by correspondence. It will be remembered that the special inducements offered to domestic servants here appealed to the Canadian authorities as desirable, and it was even suggested that Canada would do well to imitate the pocket money feature. RESTRICTION OF IMMIGRATION Like other countries New Zealand has found it necessary to enact laws to regulate the entrance of people from other parts of the world. This legislation respecting immigration is found in the Immigration Restriction Act of 1908, and its amendments of 1910 and 1920, and the Undesirable Immigrant's Exclusion Act of 1919. The law is administered by the Customs Department. Prior to 1908, with the exception of the Japanese, there was not felt to be a particular need for restricting immigrants. It is true that because of the number of Chinese entering the country, it was found necessary in 1881 to levy a poll tax of 10 pounds, which by the law of 1896 was increased to 100 pounds, and the number of Chinese passengers that might be carried by vessels to New Zealand was limited to one for every 200 tons. The number of 10 New Zealand Official Year Book, 1921-22, page 49. Chinese who have entered New Zealand for specified periods is shown below: 11 Since 1917, there has been a marked increase in the number of Chinese arrivals in New Zealand. The records of 1920 show that 1477 arrived, while only 380 departed. Between 1897 and 1917, there was an excess of 200 departures over arrivals. It is possible that this situation will lead to new legislation since the New Zealand law contains no general exclusion weapon like the literacy test in Australia but since 1908, there is a rule applicable to the Chinese and other "race aliens" requiring that they must be able to read at least one hundred words in English. There are, however, prohibited classes which are as follows: (1) Persons of the age of fifteen years or over who refuse or neglect (a) if British subjects, to take the oath or make an affirmation of allegiance to His Majesty the King: (b) if aliens, to take an oath or make an affirmation of obedience to the laws of New Zealand. (2) Persons not of British birth and parentage, unless in possession of permits 12 issued by the Minister of Customs. (Note.) A person is not deemed to be of British birth and parentage because he or his parents or either of them is a naturalized British. subject, or because he is an aboriginal native of any Dominion (other than New Zealand), colony, possession, or protectorate of His Majesty. (3) Idiots or insane persons. "New Zealand Official Year Book, 1921-22, page 53. "Temporary permits for periods of six months with possibility of extension are granted to visitors. (4) Persons suffering from contagious diseases which are loathsome or dangerous. (5) Persons arriving in New Zealand within two years after the termination of a period of imprisonment for a serious offence. (6) Chinese (not naturalized in New Zealand) unless they pay a poll tax of 100 pounds, and read the required English words. (7) Persons who have at any time been subjects of the State of Germany or of Austria-Hungary as those states existed on the 4th of August, 1914, except under a license issued by the Attorney-General. (8) Persons not permanently resident in New Zealand who are disaffected or disloyal and of such a character that their presence in New Zealand would be injurious to the peace, order and good government of the Dominion, and whom the Attorney-General on that account prohibits from landing. ELASTICITY IN ADMINISTERING LAWS Like the immigration laws in other portions of the British Empire, the New Zealand laws show a degree of elasticity and opportunity for arbitrary action. For example, the Governor-General in Council or the Minister of Internal affairs may exempt any person included in classes (3), (4), and (5) above. The requirements of British ancestry are more rigid than in Australia, although in other respects, the prohibitions are less severe. There is no general literacy test. But this in Australia, as will be observed in the next chapter is used mainly as a method of keeping out Asiatics. The only literacy test provided for in the New Zealand law, as has been stated, is for so-called "race aliens," as persons of other than European descent are classified. These people since 1908 have been required to pass an educational test before admission into the country. During the year 1920, there 66 were admitted 1734 race aliens," 235 of whom came from British possessions. NATURALIZATION An alien residing in New Zealand who desires to become naturalized, may do so by presenting to the Governor-General a memorial signed and verified by a statutory declaration giving his name, age, birthplace and occupation, the length of his residence in New Zealand, and his desire to settle therein, and a request that letters of naturalization may be granted to him. This memorial must have written upon it or attached to it a certificate signed by a Magistrate or Justice to the effect that the applicant is known to the one certifying and is of good repute. No fee is charged for naturalization except to the Chinese who must pay one pound. No letters of naturalization were granted between 1914 and 1919 and the revocation of the Naturalization Act of 1917 empowered the Governor-General to revoke naturalization in any case desirable on grounds of public policy. The following table 13 shows the birthplace and number of persons naturalized after the resumption of naturalization in 1919. While the actual numbers are not large, a number of countries are represented. This shows a growing cosmopolitanism in citizenship. REGISTRATION OF ALIENS Since the year 1917, all aliens in New Zealand must be registered,1 and very careful records are kept. Doubtless many of those listed in the table following came from the ranks of resident aliens. In 1921, there were 9021 registered aliens. Of this number, 599 came from the United States, and 706 were British born, mostly women who had become aliens by marriage and a few men by naturalization elsewhere. 13 New Zealand Official Year Book, 1921-22, page 54. |