The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1914. GERMAN SPIES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2320, 30 November 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1914. GERMAN SPIES

A OEEAT deal of correspondence, has readied us of late concerning the treatment which Germans residing in New Zealand are receiving at the hands of the authorities. ..The impression . appears to prevail that much more_ stringent regulations should be imposed to protect tho community againet possible acts 'of treachery,, and some of our corres-' pondents even go so far as to sug-. gest that, with the exception of those beyond ail suspicion, German residents here should be interned until the close of the war. No , one who has read of the terrible atrocities committed by German troops in Belgium and France, and who has also learned of tho base acts of treachery onsthe part of German spies who have made their homes and .established businesses in foreign countries, can fail to feel some; sympathy with such suggestions. Gei'man ideas as disclosed to, the world since the present struggle commenced are utterly repugnant \to us as they are to all other civilised nations. With them the betrayal of a lifetime's hospitality by an act of mean treachery is a commendable accomplishment. A deed which should earn the detestation of every clean-minded, de-cent-living man or woman is'with them regarded as an achievement to be proud of. It is not surprising in these circumstances that there > should be a deep and bitter -loathing and distrust ot the German people I and all things German.' No doubt injustice is done by this. general condemnation, but where is the line to bo drawn? How can it, be decided, where spying and treachery have been made a part of the national life of- a people, who can or cannot be trusted? _ These are questions which are raised by correspondents writing to us fromiall parts of New Zealand, , and who, because the. authorities , do not parade their actions, imagine that nothing has been done to minimise the risk from Germans in our midst seeking in some way to do the nation injury. As a matter of fact, the authorities have taken precautions the full extent of which it is -not advisable to make public. In this matter as in many others connected with the war the hands of the Government are tied to a. certain extent by instructions from the Home- Government. Certain general' rules'are ..laid down, and cannot be departed from without expresa authority. But the Government is very much alive to the necessity for taking no unnecessary, risks with German subjects within New Zealand, and'no ■suspicious circumstance is ignored or passed over without investigation. A great many idle rumours have been in circulation, many of ' which have been inquired into and found to be baseless or wild exaggerations; but this has not been the case on all occasions, and those of the public who have any knowledge of suspicious happenings should not hesitate to promptly inform the police. Some resentment has been caused at times •by the behaviour of German residents here, and it has been stated to us that there are Germans in State employment. The Government at an early stage of the war took steps to rid the Public Service of every German who might.have obtained employment there; and if any citizen knows of a German subject in- State employment he should make the fact known. . ' ■ .