CO129-463 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1920 [10-12] — Page 314

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Mr Beckett

1

? Remino

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36.

050

bus: 15 JAN 211

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 30th November, 1920.

ASA

20/112

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Are

20.1

WIH 28.3.

My Lord,

I have the honour to enquire whether there are any conditions on which it is possible for officers and men of the mercantile marine to qualify for naturalisation as British subjects, as it would seem that in ordinary times of peace a merchant seaman is effectually debarred by reason of his occupation from acquiring the necessary qualifications under the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Acts, 1914 and 1918.

2.

J

The case which has prompted this enquiry wes that of a mercantile marine officer who was born of British parents in the United Kingdom, becane naturalised as a citizen of the United States of America in 1913, served on British transports during the war, and has now abandoned his acquired nationality and is seeking to resume his nationality of origin. This perticular applicant has been informed that he has not fulfilled the requirements of the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Acts, 1914 and 1918, even assuming that service on board transports would rank as service under the Crown.

3.

The point, however, may be of some general importance and I should be glad to know whether the inter- pretation of "residence" has been in practice modified in

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

VISCOUNT MILNER, G.C.B.,

&C.,

&c..

&c.