The working of the Aliens Act was again under discussion
in the House of Commons on Wednesday. Mr. Gladstone stated that there had been no revision of rules : he had only revoked one order—that fixing twelve as the number constituting a ship an immigrant ship—but instructions had been issued to immigration officers and Boards in the direction of leniency to the sick and of giving the benefit of the doubt to those claiming to be refugees. The Act aimed at checking the immigration of undesirable aliens, but, in his judgment, it was never intended that its provisions should be applied with a rigidity which excluded consideration of whether refusal of leave to land would involve great hardship and suffering to women and children. Sir W. Evans-Gordon, on the contrary, would separate a girl of nine from her friends and send her back because she was ill. With regard to political refugees, the circular stated that "the statements of a man claiming to be a political or religious refugee may be insufficient or inaccurate, yet he may be exposed to serious risk from political causes if he is forced to return." Sir Edward Carson acquitted the Home Secretary of having over- ridden the Act; he had only told the immigration officers what was their duty when they were in doubt. The late Solicitor- General, in other words, sees clearly that a rigid and uncom- promising application of the provisions of the Act would have endangered the right of asylum, and for his outspoken declara- tion has been vigorously rebuked by the Opposition Press.
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