New Citizens

W. Samoa's March To Nationhood New Citizens Get Ten Months' Grace

What was regarded as one of the most important bills ever passed by the Western Samoan

Legislative Assembly and

one that put some of the Euro pean residents of the Territory in a dilemma was approved by the Chamber after only a short debate at the September

session.

IT was the new Citizenship of Western Samoa Bill which defines Western Samoa nationality—or citizenship—by birth, or descent or by naturalisation.

The bill also provides for de privation of citizenship under cer tain circumstances, and prescribes the oath of allegiance to be taken, this oath including the renunci ation of any other citizenship previ ously held. , It is stressed that the bill establishing a Western Samoan nationality, has nothing to do with “Domestic status”, or the present electoral regulations which provide for Samoan matais and persons of European status to be electors.

Nonetheless, in future, all electors must take the oath of allegiance to Western Samoa and be Samoan Certain classes of persons, par ticularly those who possess, at pre sent, the citizenship of a foreign country, are given ten months from the date of the coming into force of the Ordinance (that is, until July 8 1960) to decide whether or not to’ apply for Western Samoan citizenship. wio-h The Council of State (the High Commissioner and the Hons.

Tamasese and Malietoa) have made arrangements to make the pro visions and the effect of the citizen ship law, widely known to the The new citizenship law brings many European residents up against Zte a problem —whether to give up their present nationality and be come Samoan citizens, or to co tinue their present citizenship.

It will be obviously impossible to retain a dual-citizenship, as Samoan

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citizens have to take the o allegiance and renounce former citizenship.

Europeans on Way Ouu

There are at present abou. people of European status n in Western Samoa, most off have inherited the nationals: citizenship of their Euro fathers, though quite a numbtc no particular nationality aneb travelling abroad, do so as protected persons”.

Samoans living in New S for more than five years, are e New Zealand nationals and pq ably will remain so.

There is some objection ajs many Europeans, including i born Europeans with Samoam to give up their American, I German, etc., nationality.

Probably the greatest disas; age in not adopting Samoan <• ship is the loss of the right or to stand for office in thee lative Assembly.

But many consider that d pean representation in thri Legislative Assembly, will be <

ive, anyhow, as the number opean representatives may iced to only one or two, in nee with the number of in electors who are Samoan al hundred Europeans com- New Zealand seconded and employees of corn firms, who are not per residents of the Territory, t, of course, renounce their citizenship.