ARE YOU A GERMAN?

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2395, 26 February 1915, Page 7

ARE YOU A GERMAN?

AN IMPRESSIVE STATEMENT. (By Merra.Dh.-Pre.fi .Association.) Auokland, Fobruary 25. When Mr.. A. Sclnuitt, provincial secretary of the l 1 armors Union, aud a man very well lenown 111 Auckland, waß about to addross a mooting at Pukokohe East last night, a man in the audionco asked: "Aro you a Herman!"' Mr. Sohmitt mado a ( cloar and mipresaivo statement. Ho 6aid that his mother aud all her peoplo hailed. from Devonshire, and traccd back their ancestors to Hishop Aldrcd. "As for myself," proceeded Mr. Schmitt, "I Was born in Ballarat, and havo never been out of Australasia. My father was born at Frankfort-on-Maine, and camo to Australasia about the year .1862. During his lifetimo he was in New Zoaland for twenty-soven years, and waa aide-de-camp to two or three New Zealand Governors in succession, besides being connected with local military matters. My father's mother's mother camo from Somersetshire. The question of toy own loyalty need not bo discussed, as that is testified to by tho positions I now hold in one of the most loyal of bodies, tho Farmers' Union. There is, however, one thing that I have to say, and it is tbat out of respect to my father's memory it is not at all likely that I shall revile the Germans from the housetops or change my name for the purpose of courting favour —in fact 1 I feel sure no one in this hall would respect me if I should do so." Mr. Schmitt was very heartily applauded by the meeting.