Abraham Albert Heaps
Labour
Mr. HEAPS:
I am afraid of introducing
any amendment to any act of parliament; I have been rather unfortunate in regard to any bill I have tried to introduce. I feel as the minister felt a moment ago when he spoke of the leniency that a magistrate might show towards applicants for naturalization. My own understanding is that as a rule magistrates have been fairly strict in their interpretation of the law, and where a person, even of the age of seventy, who may have raised a large family in the country, has been unable to comply with the strict letter of the law, he has failed to obtain naturalization. This means considerable hardship in old age when they find themselves ineligible for old age pension. If the magistrate had some discretionary powers such cases might be dealt with considerately, but I find that as a rule magistrates claim they have no discretion, that the law is rigid. I feel that there should be some discretion vested somewhere to meet such situations.