When any alien friend now residing in or who shall hereafter reside in New Zealand desires to be naturalized, the Governor may, if he think fit, grant to him letters of naturalization under the seal of the colony.

Every such grant of letters of naturalization may be made subject to such conditions as the Governor considers necessary or advisable.

When any such alien friend desires to obtain naturalization, he may present to the Governor a memorial signed by the applicant, and stating therein—

His name, age, birth-place, residence, and occupation;

The length of his residence in the colony, and his desire to settle therein;

And a request that letters of naturalization may be granted to him.

Every such memorial shall be verified by a statutory declaration to be subscribed by the applicant.

Such memorial shall also have written thereon or attached thereto a certificate, signed by some Resident Magistrate or Justice of the Peace, to the effect that the applicant is known to the person so signing, and is, to the best of such person’s belief and knowledge, a person of good repute.

If the Governor think fit to grant such letters, he shall direct the applicant to take the oath of allegiance prescribed by “The Promissory Oaths Act, 1873,” before some Resident Magistrate or Justice of the Peace; and upon the certificate of such Magistrate or Justice that the applicant has taken before him the said oath, and upon payment of the fee for enrolment hereinafter prescribed, he shall issue letters of naturalization to the applicant accordingly.

Upon such letters of naturalization being issued to him the applicant shall enjoy all the rights and capacities which a natural-born subject of the United Kingdom can enjoy or transmit within this colony, except such rights and capacities (if any) as are specially excepted in the letters of naturalization granted and issued to him.

When any person resident in New Zealand has previously obtained any certificate or letters of naturalization in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or any part thereof, or in any British Colony or possessions, and desires to be naturalized in New Zealand, the Governor may, at his discretion, grant the letters of naturalization, without requiring from the applicant any further residence in New Zealand or (if the applicant has previously taken a similar oath) the oath prescribed under this Act, and upon his complying with the following conditions:—

He shall submit such certificate or letters of naturalization to the Governor, and also present such memorial as required by the preceding provisions of this Act.

He shall further state in such memorial that he is the person named in such certificate or letters of naturalization, and that the same has been obtained without any fraud or intentional false statement, and that the signature, and the seal, if any, thereto, are, to the best of his belief and knowledge, genuine.

Every such memorial shall be verified by a statutory declaration to be subscribed by the applicant.

The Colonial Secretary shall enrol for safe custody, as of record, a duplicate of all letters of naturalization.

He shall also enrol certified copies of every such certificate or letters of naturalization previously obtained as aforesaid, and upon which letters of naturalization are issued under this Act.

Every person to whom letters of naturalization are granted under this Act shall pay to the Colonial Secretary the fee of one pound in respect of such enrolment.

The Colonial Secretary shall cause proper indices to be made to letters of naturalization and certificates enrolled by him, and shall permit every person desirous of so doing to inspect the same and make copies of such letters and certificates on payment of the fee of one shilling for every such inspection.

Copies of letters of naturalization or certificates enrolled as before provided, if certified to be true copies by the Colonial Secretary, shall be admissible in evidence for all purposes.

Such fees shall be charged for certified copies as the Colonial Secretary may prescribe.

If any person to whom letters of naturalization have been granted be convicted of having wilfully made any false statement in his memorial, he shall be deemed guilty of perjury, and such letters of naturalization shall, except against a bonâ fide purchaser from such person for valuable consideration, become thereby void.

Every alien friend resident in New Zealand may inherit or otherwise take by representation, acquire, hold, convey, assign, devise, bequeath, or otherwise dispose of every description of property, whether real or personal, in the same manner as if he were a natural-born subject of Her Majesty.

Every grant, conveyance, assignment, demise, devise, or bequest to or by any such alien made prior to the twelfth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and seventy, shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been made to or by a natural-born subject of Her Majesty.

Every person now born or hereafter to be born out of Her Majesty’s dominions of a mother being a natural-born subject of the United Kingdom shall be capable of taking to him, his heirs, executors, or administrators, any estate within this colony, real or personal, by devise or purchase or inheritance of succession.

Any alien woman married, or who shall be married, to any natural-bom subject of Her Majesty or naturalized person, shall be deemed and taken to be herself naturalized, and have all the rights and privileges of a natural-born subject.

In respect of any act or thing specified in the first column of the First Schedule hereto, when done, taken, made, granted, or given in New Zealand under the authority of the Act of the Imperial Parliament called “The Naturalization Act, 1870,” or any regulations made or to be made thereunder there shall be payable the fees respectively set forth in the second column of the said Schedule, and the same shall respectively be paid to the persons denominated and be applied as set forth in the third column of the said Schedule.

The Acts enumerated in the Second Schedule hereto are hereby repealed,