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In order to assist the national economy, the priority system has been continued and has in general enabled persons on business of national importance to travel to and from Australia reasonably promptly. It has been possible to, assist a few highly compassionate cases travelling to Australia by granting one-way priority. The Passports Act, 1946, came into force on 16th September, 1946. Under this Act previous legislation on the subject was revoked. The Passports Emergency Regulations 1939 were also revoked on the gazetting of the Passport Regulations 1946 (20th November, 1946). XVI. NATURALIZATION Consideration of the many hundreds of applications received under the British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Act, 1928, has proceeded steadily. The required period of residence is five years, and as the majority of refugee and other alien groups who entered New Zealand from 1938 onwards did not qualify for consideration until the wartime restriction on naturalization was lifted, there is a large accumulation of cases to be dealt with. A total of 451 certificates have been issued. In addition to the large number of applications on hand, there is much detailed work on each file in ensuring that the applicant's record during the war and capacity for citizenship make him suitable for membership in. a British community. Twenty-three certificates of naturalization were granted to alien friends who had served with His Majesty's Forces in the recent war. This action was taken under the British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Amendment Act, 1943. Declarations made by married women under the British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Amendment Act, 1934-35 (now repealed), from Ist April, 1946, to Bth October, 1946, are as follows : Acquisition of British nationality .. . . .. .. 133 Retention of rights of a British subject .. ... . . 25 The British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Amendment Act, 1946, which came into force on the 9th October, 1946, made some fundamental changes in the national status of married women. The two main provisions are as follows : (1) A British-born woman who marries an alien does not lose her British nationalityThis portion of the Act is retrospective, and those British-born women who have at any time married aliens are now deemed never to have lost their British nationality. (2) If an alien woman marries a British subject she does not automatically become British by marriage, but has to apply for naturalization in her own right. This portion of the Act is not retrospective, and therefore any alien-born woman who has already become British by marriage will remain British. Previously, when a married man was granted British naturalization, his wife made a declaration that she desired to acquire her husband's nationality, and such declaration took effect on registration in the Department. Under the 1946 Amendment Act the wives of all aliens naturalized are required to apply separately, and the issue of a certificate of naturalization in each case is in the discretion of the Minister of Internal Affairs. The new procedure has involved additional work. Owing to the necessity of drafting regulations and the printing of a new type of certificate, it was possible to issue only 4 certificates under the new Act. XVII. WAR MEMORIALS In October, 1946, the Government, after careful consideration of the whole position, made public its intention to support, by means of a generous subsidy, the erection of community centres as war memorials. The conditions under which such subsidies may be granted have, been circulated to local authorities.

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