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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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of making the period count as a fixed residence in one place-in one country I mean. They object to the proposal of a residence, say, of one year in Canada, one year in Cape Colony, and another in the United Kingdom, and so on, to make up the five years just to secure naturalisation. They say if any alteration of that kind prevailed, it would be almost impossible to obtain satisfactory evidońce, and therefore they are of opinion that naturalisation should be given in the country in which there has been a residence of five years. Of course, if the Colonies were prepared to alter their laws, and bring them into accordance with our laws, it might be the subject of consideration how far naturalisation in one place should carry weight and be considered as a reciprocal arrangement in all the other parts of the Empire. But at present, and so long as there is such a very wide difference as exists now between the law of the Cape and the law of the United Kingdom, no arrangement of the kind could possibly be considered.

Mr. FULLER: I think that, so far as the Capo is concerned, two years is sufficient.

Sir* ALBERT HIME: It is two years in Natal.

The SECRETARY OF STATE: I know it is a short residence in Natal.

Sir ALBERT HIME: And then it is with the consent of the Governor in Council, and they can refuse, if they think fit, to naturalise any man who does not intend to remain in the Colony, or if he is an undesirablo in any respect, then letters of naturalisation are not granted.,

The SECRETARY OF STATE: I think we have the same, or a similar, provision here, but, of course, naturalisation is very seldom refused. There would have to be distinct and definite proof that the person applying was clearly an undesirable citizen.

Sir ALBERT HIME: It has been refused lately in a large number of cases-Polish Jews returning to Johannesberg.

We have had some correspondence on the subject.

The SECRETARY OF STATE: I confess, if I may be allowed to express a personal opinion, I think that five years is not at all too long before naturalisation is admitted, but that, of course, is in the discretion of the local governments of the different Colonies.

Mr. SEDDON: At all events, I do think the period should not be less than

-twelve months.

Sir ALBERT HIME: I should say two years.

Mr. SEDDON: Six months is too short.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER: The conditions vary so much that it would be better for each Parliament to deal with it.

Sir EDMUND BARTON: It would be

Mr. FULLER: What is your term?

very

difficult-

Sir EDMUND BARTON: Five years, I think in New South Wales, and I think it is the same in several of the Colonies within the Coinmonwealth.

Sir ALBERT HIME: There is a great difference between the Colonies and the Mother Country with regard to naturalisation. We can tell when a man comes meaning to settle down in the country better than you can perhaps in the Mother Country. We know a man who buys a farm and settles down means to carry on his occupation whatever it may be-buys a store in town and sets up business, we can tell whether he means to remain

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or not.

In the United Kingdom it is really very difficult to say whether a What we man intends to remain or whether he does not intend to remain. say is that where a man is naturalised in one part of his Majesty's dominions he should be practically naturalised in every other part. If there were to be some common period which would be satisfactory to all concerned, say, threo years, but at present in Natal it is two years. It does seem, I submit, rather hard that a man who has been naturalised after five years in England, should not be naturalised if he comes to a Colony, or that a man who has been naturalised in Australia after five years, if he goes to England, that naturalisation that he has served for is of no use to him.

Sir EDMUND BARTON: Opinions may differ so in various parts of the Empire as to the right sort of men wo want there.

The SECRETARY OF STATE: Very much; we should naturalise, as of course, many persons who would be refused in Natal, if they had rosided five

in this country.

years

Sir EDMUND BARTON: In any event, should not something like an assimilation of the laws procede a mutual arrangement for naturalisation?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN: A proposal, which I think is worth consideration, which was made by a Committee appointed by the Home Office here to consider the whole subject, was that full naturalisation carrying British rights throughout the Empire should only be granted where a person fulfils the full period, such as five years, in the district of the particular authority which grants naturalisation, but that each of these local authorities might, it they chose, give local rights after a lesser period of residence. possible, therefore, for Canada, if she chose, to give to a man who had resided two years in Canada all local rights, although she could not confer upon

hirn the full naturalisation rights of a British citizen.

It would be

Mr. FULLER: Would the local rights carry the franchise in the country in which they were granted?

The SECRETARY OF STATE: Yes, certainly.

Mr. FULLER; I think it is a long time after settlement in the Colony before a man can enjoy the franchise.

The SECRETARY OF STATE: That is rather a different question. Of course we are dealing now only with alions; non constal that an English- man in the Colonies should not have the franchiso at a earlier period.

Mr. FULLER: But he would requiro naturalising in the country, would be not?

The SECRETARY OF STATE: It might require local legislation, but you might adopt legislation which might give him the franchise before he was naturalised, if you thought fit to do so.

Sir ALBERT HIME: He might get the franchise immediately by acquiring property if he were a British subject.

The SECRETARY OF STATE: It would be perfectly possible to establish by legislation that all British subjecte, persons who had been naturalised, and British subjects in any part of the British Dominions, might acquire the franchise and local rights, at an earlier period than the full naturalisation. Some persons would not require to be naturalised. I think we can hardly adopt any resolution. It is a matter for the consideration of the different local governments, and I certainly hope that in the Cape the matter will receive serious attention. I think there is great danger, as it stands at present, of your getting most undesirable people."

Mr. FULLER: Yes, there is.

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