TREATMENT OF GERMANS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2468, 22 May 1915, Page 7

TREATMENT OF GERMANS

PETITION TO PRIME MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Napier, May 21. A largely-attended publio meeting called by the Mayor at the request of a deputation of ladies, to-night decided to forward the following petition to the Prime Minister:— "We the undersigned British-born subjects of the Dominion of New Zealand, beg to draw your attention to the attitude of New Zealaaid during the present groat struggle for the existence of the Empire. The British leaders of all parties have denounced the Germans as murderore and pirates; the enemy havo deliberately broken every law human an/1 divine in conducting tlio war against us, and their leaders, princes, admirals, and teachers have educated their whole people to carry on brutality on a wholesale scale, wo are of opinion that whilo the Dominion is showing considerable energy in supporting the Empire, we haro failed in the want of stringent control of resident Germans naturalised or otherwise. The retention of Germans in responsible positions and in inadequately controlling and punishing suspects and offenders is calculated to demoralise the public by apparently condoning the enormous crimes which the Germans are committing against our relatives and kindred. Tliero aro about, 11.00(1 Germans over the ago of 21 resident in New Zealand, and wo earnestly and romioctfully pray that all parties should join in taking more aetivo stops to remove German and other alien enemy from responsible positions, and to more stringently and completely control the German element in New Zealand." Tlio meeting also carried « resolution congratulating General Botha on his success in German South-West Africa.