NAA: A1, 1917/15768

Inagaki, Rose Caroline

Digital copy - 36306

Details

Occupation as writtenState School Teacher
Standardised occupationPP13: Public services and Professionals - Education
Application received25 Aug 1917
Application status Denied
OfficialNUUG
Date of approval or denial11 Oct 1917
If rejected, why?husband still living (Japanese)
Birthplace as writtenSouth Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Modern countryAustralia
Age on application36
Age on arrival in AustraliaNone
Port of DepartureNone
Port of ArrivalNone
Date of arrivalNone
Name of shipNone

Addresses

Address in AustraliaRowena Street, Caulfield
Address StateVictoria
Time at address
Previous address 1St Kilda
Address StateVictoria
Time at address

Family

MarriedYes
ChildrenYes

1 female, residing with them

References

Name of referenceJohn Cross
Occupation of referenceInspector of State Schools, Victoria
Marginalia description

Police report attachedNo
Link to other applicant
LiterateYes

Why are they applying?

ReasonVote
Other information

In a letter from 18 Sept 1917, she explains that ‘I have not before heard of a British subject being so treated in a British Colony, and naturally after being for so long an elector, resent the treatment… Again may I ask that I may, by naturalization, be given the rights of protection, and the privileges, which are mine by right of birth.’

Further comments

See also NAA: MP16/1, 1916/1378

Glynn looked at her application and correspondence and has decided that it ‘must be refused’ (15 Oct 1917, Hunt to her).
B in Victoria, Australia. Married to Japanese man. DEA Memorandum, 11 October 1917: summary presented to minister, explains initially refused.
She appealed and pointed out that two women like her married to Japanese men naturalised in 1914. Also the NSW Franchise Act of 1916 allowed such women to apply to still vote (they point out this does not apply nationally). Also ‘the Department did not consider it desirable that husband and wife should owe separate allegiance to two distinct Governments.’ He also told her that the relevant act was the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914: ‘“The wife of a British subject shall be deemed to be a British subject and the wife of an alien shall be deemed to be an alien”.’
She’s appealed again, hence the minister being asked to make a decision, and his unusual explicit ‘refused’ as ‘husband still living and an alien’, dated 11/10/17 handwritten at the bottom of the Memorandum, p.3 (which summarises most of the above).