A Chinese Petition.

Joe Ling, Joe Ming, Joe Chow, Joe Gett, Joe Fong and several other Celestials carrying on business in the neighbourhood of Palmerston North are desirous of obtaining letters of naturalisation. These can only be issued to them under a certificate signed by a Stipendiary Magistrate who has known, the memorialists for at least two years. They are petitioning Parliament pointing out that this regulation works with great severity in the case of memorialists of the Chinese race who may be well known to many persons of standing and yet not having been known personally to a Stipendiary Magistrate for the specified time, and are thus debarred acquiring rights of freoecitizens in. a colony in which they have a substantial interest —N Z Times. Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7639, 29 August 1903, Page 8