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Page 252 to influence public opinion or Government policy with respect to Irish affairs, or is knowingly harbouring a person so concerned. If the person against whom the order is made objects that no sufficient ground exists, I am obliged, unless the objection is frivolous, to refer it to an independent person for inquiry. The Act, which is renewed from year to year, was designed to deal with the exceptional conditions created by the I. R. A. bomb outrages and 190 expulsion orders have been made under it. No orders have been made since the end of the war.
4. During the war British subjects who came to Great Britain from Ireland were admitted subject to certain conditions as to employment and time of stay imposed under Defence Regulation 18(2A) and there was power to send back to Ireland any person who failed to comply with the conditions imposed on him. Defence Regulation 18(2A) has been revoked.
5.
The position as regards deportation of British subjects from independent Commonwealth countries is as follows. In Canada, Australia and South Africa there is power under the Immigration Acts to deport any person who falls within the definition of a "prohibited immigrant", which includes persons who are classed as undesirable on various grounds. The Australian Government have, in addition, power to deport any person not born in Australia who, on proclamation of industrial disturbance or within three years thereafter, is considered as injurious to peace, order and good government by hindering transport of goods, conveyance of passengers or provision of services. The New Zealand Government have power under an Act of 1919 to deport any disaffected or disloyal person or one likely to be a source of danger to peace, order and good government, who is not permanently resident or has not been permanently resident for twelve months. The Government of Ceylon under an Act of 1948 have power to deport any person who is not a citizen of Ceylon where it is considered conducive to the public interest to do so. The Government of India have no general power to deport a British subject. They have, however, a Public Safety Act under which it is possible for à rule to be framed whereby a United Kingdom citizen or a British subject can be deported. In Pakistan the power to deport British subjects applies only to persons without means of support. The position in India and Pakistan is a survival from the period of British rule and it may well be that before very long these Governments will take powers similar to those possessed by the older Commonwealth countries.
There are also in a number of Colonial Territories statutes authorising the Colonial Government in certain circumstances to deport British subjects who do not belong to the Territory.
6. The possibility of taking power to deport British subjects from the United Kingdom has been considered from time to time over the past thirty years:-
a) In 1919 the then Home Secretary considered a proposal that legislation should be introduced to give him powers to deport undesirable British subjects who had come to the United Kingdom from overseas. The grounds for the proposal were that Indians and negroes with revolutionary tendencies were using the United Kingdom as headquarters for their propaganda, and that other Commonwealth countries (e.g. Canada) phad tak8682 were taking such powpage 252 of 8s, however, decided not to introduce the proposed legislation.
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