Limited Naturalisation

New Guinea's "Foreigners" To Be Given

From Our Own Correspondent

Canberra, July 4.

FOREIGNERS who have lived for some time in New Guinea soon will be able to apply for naturalisation papers. , . .

The Australian Parliament is about to pass a Bill to extend the Nationality Act to cover residence in the Territory. This means that foreign planters and mission aries. some of whom had lived in the Territory for 30 years and more, will be able to apply for naturalisation. This certificate, however, will apply only so long as the subject continues to live m the Australian Commonwealth or its ter ritories, and will not, for instance, apply in any other part of the Empire.

The Minister said: “This will not be the Government’s last word on the sub ject. It is proposed to hold a conference of United Kingdom and Dominions’ repre sentatives in the near future, to discuss nationality questions. It is intended to raise, at that conference, the question of making provision that residence in New Guinea shall be regarded as a qualifica tion for the grant of a Certificate of Naturalisation effective not only in Aus tralia and its territories, but throughout the whole British Commonwealth.”

The Minister said the only way a foreign resident of New Guinea could now qualify for naturalisation was to abandon his domicile in the Territory and come to Australia for five years. People cov ered by this Bill were mostly missionaries and planters, and had mostly given 28 or 30 years of their lives to New Guinea, and are still ineligible for British nation ality.

Replying to Mr. T. W. White, the Mini ster said it was true that there might be Nazis among foreigners in New Guinea.

But Nazis would not be granted naturali sation.

Mr. White: “Are you sure of that?”

Mr. Calwell: “Of course I’m sure. I’m the Minister.”

The Minister said all applications would have to be approved by the Security Police before being granted by the Immigration Department. That was why naturalisation would not be granted Nazis, or others not likely to observe Australia’s laws. Al though the Bill would technically apply to Asiatics, it was Australia’s policy not to grant naturalisation to people not pre dominantlv of European extraction. Nine ty per cent, of those who would benefit from this legislation would be entitled to benefit.