VON ZEDLITZ CASE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2598, 21 October 1915, Page 6

VON ZEDLITZ CASE

PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION

ONE YEAR'S SALARY . THE FACTS UNDER REVIEW BRITISH OR GERMAN ? ' Tho case of Professor von Zedlitz was finally dealt-with by tho Victoria College Council last night. Parliament having passed the Alien Enemy Teachers Act, and also the Professor having resigned, it was 110 longer necessary for the council to determine the Professor's engagement. The only question was to decide what compensation should bo allowed to Mr. von Zedlitz, and the council resolved to pay to him the maximum compensation allowed by the Act—one year's salary, amounting in this case to £700. The Finance Committee brought down the following recommendation:— "Tho committee recommend that, having regard to the long period of years during which Professor von Zedlitz lias occupied the Chair of Modern Languages at Victoria Collage, and to his valuable work in the interests of education in the Dominion, he bo paid in accordance with the provisions of Clause 3 of tho Alien Enemy Teachers Act, 1915, as compensation for loss of office by tho said Act, the equivalent of ono year's salary, viz., £700; and that his salary lor tho month of October bo paid up to Lho passing of the said Act."

Mr. C. B. Morison moved that the recommendation be adopted with this addition: "That the council do hereby placo on record its appreciation of tho high standard which lias marked the teaching and influence of Professor von Zedlitz during nearly 14 years of faithful service to the college, and its appreciation of the entirely honourablo spirit in which tho Professor has discharged his duty, both before and since tho outbreak of war, and that the council express, its deep regret at the unnecessary determination of his office by special legislation, as being opposed alike to the best British traditions and to tho interests of Victoria College as a British educational institution."

Question of Nationality. Dr. C. Prendergast. Knight moved .this amendment: "That Professor von Zedlitz be paid, in terms, of his conr tract, six months' salary, that being tho amount which this council thinks proper under the Alien Enoniy Teachers Act-." He said tliat sinco last meeting he had tried to look impartially into the case, and ho had come to tho conclusion that cither Professor von, Zedlitz misled the council at the time of his appointment, or he was misleading it now. Sir. Morison: Point of order 1 Are wo trying Professor von Zedlitz in his absence or what aro we doing? Chairman.: Dr. Knight is quite 111 order in' moving his amendment. Mr. Morison: But surely, sir, this kind of statement about a man with 14 jears service should not be made' ill his absence or without notice? r 'J -Wh'it is your point of on er? lhat is not a point of order. Mr. Atkinson suggested that unless JJr. Knight especially wished to address his remarks to the public, ho could better address them to the council in committee. The matter raised seemed to bo new. •

~ Dr. Knight said that he would have no- objection to taking tho matter in committee, but the whole business had been so much an affair of public comment that he saw no special reason for going into After reflection, nowover, he said that he had come to tho conclusion that it would not be desirablo to give m Professor von Zedlitz s absence the reasons for the state-' ment lie had made. He contended, however, that the record of what had passcd between the Isew Zealand AgentGeneral (Mr. W. P. Reeves) and Mr von /edlitz showed that Mr. Reeves was under the impression that Mi-, von Zeditz was a German Otherwise why had nl% w question of nationality at all He repeated again that the terms ot tho contract made by the college with the profossor provided for six months' notice on either side, and the oquivaS, ™ s " Act has settled that. -? uight: Bef ?/e the Act was passed I roiossor von Zedlitj resigned At the beginning of the war' he resigned and this council has been placed a veiy unfortunate position because the resignation was not taken by the chairman. It is possible that if the resignation liad reached the council, then tne council might have agreed with the chairman But- the council never had tho case before it.

■ Pr- Knight referred to the letter written by Professor von Zedlitz to the Minister of Internal Affairs, in which the Irofessor stated that when war uroko out between Russia and Germany he at onco thought of goin<r to Germany to serve in some noiwxmibatant capacity, having been struck off the lists of. tlmso eligible for military servico. Ine German Consul had how over, shown liim that this was plainly impossible. Undoubtedly Mr. von Zedlitis ..still regarded himself as a German. Dr. Knight argued that reasonable justice would be done by the payment of £350, and that the payment of more than was contemplated when tho contract with Professor von Zedlitz was entered into would deprive the collece of a sum of money, which might be needed in the course of tbe next few years to carry, on the regular work'oi the college.

"You are all Biased,"" Mr. 11. A. Wright seconded the amendment. He argued that Professor von Zedlitz was a German on his own admission. With the quibble a-s to whether or not he was a German subject lie was not concerned. Dr. Knight had said tliat when war was declared Professor von Zedlitz wrote to Sir Francis Bell to say that he desired to go to Germany to seek employment as a noncombatant. He (Mr. Wright) suggested that tlio time that tlie Professor had this idea was the first time on which ho teudered his resignation. Mr. Fleming: You know otherwise, Wright. You know the facts. That is not the fact.

Mr. Wright: "I am sorry that my friend is so excitable about the matter. Directly a single opposite word is said by anyone, members of this council get angry and interrupt. It seems to me that you aro all biased iu one way and won't liston to evidence on the other side. . . ." Mr. Wright continued that Professor von Zedlitz had written that when war was declared he desired to go to Germany to serve as a noncombatant. They had had tho answer to this, that this occurred before Great Britain mado war on Germany. He (Mr. Wright) believed that members of the council accepted that statoment. But it seemed extremely odd to tlio casual mall . that tlio Professor should bo anxious to go to sorvo Germany oven before England was involved in tlio war, if tlio Professor had English inclinations. It was also said that in the Professor's own household his children were taught- by a German governess. It was tjuite within tho Professor's rights to mako what mra)igemcnts he ohoae for the education.

of his children, but tho circumstance went to show that tho Professor was a. Gorman by inclination. Also, tho letter to Sir Francis Bell had been written after the atrocities in Belgium had occurred, and «fter tho Lusitania, outrage. And Professor von , Zedlitz, after tho Belgian atrocities, and after the sinking of the Lusitania, had, _as he said, "a sentimental feeling" towards, Germany! Mr. Wright added that Professor von Zedlitz had behaved always in tho correct way. He had realised his position fairly, and had tendered his resignation. In the face of the facts tho council had no right to pay him six months' extra, salary ove. and above what was provided for in tho contract.

The Fitness of Things. , Mr. Morison said that it seemed to him that tho discussion had been unnecessarily ungenerous. A few days ago Dr. .Knight had moved to give Professor von Zedlitz twelve months' notice. Now Dr. Knight was taking an opposite view, and in order to show reasons for it had sought to prove that the collego was misled when--Professor von Zedlitz came here. But tho collego had had 14 years' experienco of liiin in tho meantime, and in all that period no nian could say that ho had misled the collcge. The "inconsistency''' referred to had been discussed and fully explained to a committee of the House. It was not necessary to elaborate the fact that Professor von Zedlitz was a German. That fact was defined by tho Act, and they did not need to trouble further about it.- In regard to the suggestion that Professor von Zedlitz had antipathies to England because lie thought ho ought to go to Germany when war broke out, the Professor bad mado a statement which at least he (Mr. Morison) accepted implicit}', that when war broke out between Germany and Russia lie felt that ho might owe some duty to the country ,of his birth—a duty, it might be added, the discharge of which was contrary to bis inclinations and his interests. Professor, 1 von Zedlitz discussed this question with at least three gentlemen in Wellington, but when war was declared with England the professor felt that his obligation to Germany was ended. The treatment of this matter in the ungenerous way it had been trcat-wl made ouo feel that there was hardly that sense of tho fitness of things at the Council tablo that there ought to be. He thought tho Legislature had acted rightly in fix-, ing twelve months' salary as a reasonable compensation. aad he thought the Council would be going out of its way to make Professor von Zedlitz's position exceptional, if the Council did not do what the Legislature invited it to do.

. Dr. Knight, in personal explanation, said that ho had given notice of tho motion to which Mr. Morison had referred simply to give Professor von Zedlitz an opportunity of resigning. Professor von Zedlitz had accepted the invitation, and had resigned. Ho (Dr. Knight) had not altered his mind at all about tho matter. His motion was intended simply to afford tho chairman an opportunity of discussing the position with Professor von Zedlitz.

"An Ignominious Surrender," Mr. A. 11. Atkinson said that in tho controversy frequent reference Jiacl been made to some "matter of principle." But it had taken, the Governmttit 14 months ;o discovor this, and to act upon it. Ho had found no principle-at tho bottom of this thine that was entitled to a creditable name. Tho national safety did not demand tho courso tho Government had talcen. Tho action of the Government was "an ignominious surrender to tlio meanest agitation on record." He scoffed at the idea that Professor von Zedlitz approved of tho outrages and crimes of the Germans. Ho (Mr. Atkinson) had tho best reason foreknowing that so far as the Lusitania and tho treatment of Belgium were concerned, the professor's opinions were the same a-s our. own. Not only had he no sympathy with criminal outrages of the .sort, but he regarded them with tho same detestation as we did. He deprecated very strongly the Government's action in. introducing a special Act to break a contract, to injure, a particular man, and to over-rule a particular public body. And this was done in the name of patriotism, and British honour! He was sure that the College Council never need bo ashamed of its part in this sorry business, and lie was sure that the day would come whon tho Government action would not be approved generally. He would support the motion.

Mr. W. S. La Trobe said he thought the real point hail not been touched in the discussion, and tho real question was what was a fair compensation for loss of the office. In his opinion £700 was not moro than siiffioient, and bo would support tho motion. The amendmont was defeated by 7 votes to 2. Following was the voting: For the amendment—Dr. C. P. Knight and Mr. R. A. Wright; against—Messrs. C. Watson, T. R. Fleming, W. Ferguson, A. R. Atkinson, C. B. Morison, W. S. La. Trobe, and tho Rev. W. A. Evans. When the motion was put Dr. Knight moved a further amendment to delete all the words after "war." This amendment was also defeated by 7-voles'to 2, and tho original motion a's amended by Mr. Morison was agreed to, again by 7 votes to 2, r tho divisions being the same in every 'case.