POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2775, 19 May 1916, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES

AUSTRIANS IN AUCKLAND

ARE THEY A MENACE?

The question of how tho Government should Ueai with the Dalmatian residents of tne Aorth of Aucjuanu was referred to in the House of liepresentatives yesterday alternoou by Mr. J. G. Coates tiuupara). i Air. Coates said that the question was a difficult one to deal with. The majority oi taese Dalmatian persons were loyal to Great-Uritain and itio Allies. Mr. T. M, Wilford: flow' do you form that opinion? Air. Coates: Thero is a Slavonic society in .New Zealand which is able to cortiiy to tnose people who are of .Slavonic origin and'who speak tho Russian language. To say that, all the Dalmatians were Slavs is incorrect. The Austrian element u there, and it' is a strong element. At tlio same time it wouldV be quite unreasonable to intern all of these people. There are dozens of these men with whom I would .-trust my lite, whilst there tiro others that I wouitl not go twopence on. .Continuing, Mr. Coates said that he believed that tne Government was taking the right course in connection with these men. . Many-.of the men . had assisted the British cause materially by donations of money, whilst others had volunteered for active -service.' He regretted very much that the Government was not a-blo to take a .regiment of these men and pass them on to Serbia. If that could be done it would do a great deal to remove tho prevailing unrest amongst the people in the iiorth of Auckland. There were many i young New Zealanders there who naturally complain about the fact that if they went to the war they would have\ to leave a lot.of strong young men in these Dalmatians behind. Mr. L. M. Isitts "Why can't a regiment of Dalmatians be sent to Serbia? The Prime Minister-. The british Government won't have them. • Mr. Wilford: Do they know something? Mr. Massey: They have laid it down as a,general rule that thej J .will not have aliens in tho forces. . Mr. Wilford: Why have not all those instructions been laid on the table? Mr. Massey: I believe they have been uiado public. ' Mr. Coates: I would like the Government to be in a position to put these men to the test." If they had the nower they could call for, say, five hundred Dalmatians for active service, and if they did not come forward they could shut them up quick and lively. He repeated his belief that the majority of these men could be trusted. If they were given the opportunity to go into camp they would do so—in fact, a number of them were .already away with our troops. . Mr. Wilford: I do not say that these men are not loyal, but I ask: How do vou know that they are loyal? Mr. .- Coates: The - members of the Slavonic Society state that they can tell by ascertaining which men are of Russian: descent and are able to speak the Russian language, Mr. J. Vigor Brown: Has the Governineiit put its hands on those who are not \oyal? v . : Mr. Coates: In sohie cases they have. Mr. J. S. Dickon: All Britishers are oot. loyal.

i Mr. p.' Buick: _ All Irishmen are hot, ' Jjfiugntcr.) ■ i.

Mr.' Coates, in another part of hi speech, deprecated the persistent attempt that were bein£ made in the Hou*e b means of ■■questions to cnst aspersions oi rIV S? ny I,lßn were'- no British born. He was: satisfied. that th« hamr"™ hftd ..- 8 matter well in hand. .The question was a difficult one He knew- a number of men of German birth quite loyal and ieady ,to hght for Britain On the other hand; there were others that one couid not be so snre about, but they were not doing any harm. They were hard at work, and sc far.as could be seen, were not concern'u?r • -t!?SS lves ver y much about war. cablegrams show that Germany 'is putting our people to work, - . .

vil'i do not make a fight. The fact that Germany treats its prisoners harshly is no reason why we should break what is practically .-in aVee-, went with people who have become u&turalised, and who have lived twentv or thirty , yearam the country. Ho quite agreed..'that, in all necessary ciscs these peoplo should be interned, but;ho did not approve of. a policy of retaliation in regard to prisoners of war. Jlv. E.A. Wright (Wellington .Suburbs): Uoes naturalisation Im.ean anything? Mr. Coates: That isrnot the point. 1 '- Wright: That is the point/ ■ Mr. Coates: So long, .as these people can be trusted tluty should be left whero they are. If there ,is any reason to doubt them there is a proper course to follow.' ABOUT MR. PAYNE. T Mr. W. Nosworthy gave notice in- the House yesterday to ask the Prime. Minis (1.) Whether his attention has been called to an advertisement appearing in a paper called the "Philistine'* (published lit Auckland and edited by John Pavne M.P.), relating to an. alleged cure for '■ asthma, bronchitis, hay fever, and oa-' tarrh, inserted by the Anglo-American Antiseptic Remedies Company, P.O. Box 384, Auckland ? (2) Whether , the Prime Minister is aware that this company advertises'in'a'imminent place in its cir- '• culnr that its principal business places are at London, Paris, New York, and Ber- ; lin? (3) Whether tho Australasian manager of the aforesaid company, stated in its, circular to be John Payne, Alpha Bead, Parnell, Auckland, to whom all remi'ttanocs are to be made payable, is identical with the member for Grey Lynn? (i) Whether the Prime Minister will, in view of the importance of the question of anti-German trade, havo the necessary inquiries made without delay? "GIVE ME A PAIR." , An interjection by Mr. Payne caused .a' lively interlude during the speech deliv-. ered by Mr.; Coates on the Address-in-Reply debate in the House yesterday aftornoon. "I am doing my best to assist the Government, and I hope lion, gentlemen will do the same," said. Mr. Coates, amidst hearty "hear, hears.": Mr. Payne.: Hear, hear. So I will. Mr. Coates: Well, will the hon. gentleman give me a pair wlion I go to the war? .Mr: Payne: What sort of a pair do you want? Mr. J. Vigor Brown (Napier): I will give the hon. gentleman a pair if he is going to the war. (Hearty hear, hears.) Air. Massey: I appreciate that. Mr. 'Wilford: You -would not give, me one. . Mr. Ma'ssey: You did not deservo it. Wo did not know'where you were. An lion., member: He had his foot on tho soft pedal.