HELD AT RUHLEBEN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3079, 9 May 1917, Page 8

HELD AT RUHLEBEN

THE CIVIL PRISONERS INTERESTING NEWS OF THEIR DOINGS Some! interesting communications have been received in New Zealand from men held a.s civil prisoners at Ruhleben, in Germany. Juclgin" liy a photograph received last month by Mrs It, Leslie Hunt,- of Mt. Edeii Road, Auckland, from her son, Mr. Horace Hunt, formerly of Wellington, that gentleman does not appear to be a bit cast down by his long internment. Mr. Hunt forwards to his people a copy of a programme of a concert given l>y the Arts and Science Union of Rulileben on November ]0 last—a "Maori Evening." The show commenced at 5.40 p.m., which would permit of the concert being given without interfering with the camp routine. The concert opened with a short introductory address by Mr. A. H. Jones (of Christchuroh), after which was enacted the love legend of "Hinemoa" (as told by Sir George Grey and J. C. Anderson), "adapted for the stage and produced by Mr. A. H. Jones; music written and conducted by Mr. Horace Hunt." The second part of the )>roeramme. was "Hawaiki, a War Legend." The programme was cyclostykd, the printing being arched by the gable- of a Maori house, and flanked by the figure of a Maori warrior. A photograph shows the group of players that took part in the performance, and. considering the difficulties they must have encountered, the "getup" is excellent in every case. . Mr. Hunt appears in mufti in the photograph, and does not look a- bit the worse for his internment.

On Monday, December il, a vocal and pianoforte recital was given under the auspices of the same union. Tho vocalist was Mr. Edwaril Bonhoto (who restricted his efforts to the songs of Mr. Holaiul ■Bocquefc, a fellow-prisoner). The solo pianist was Mr. Norman Hen , - itt, who played the music of Debussv, Ravel, and Cyril Scott.

Nor is Buhlcbcti lacking in literary talent. At Christinas the. English prisoners there published a brochure, entitled "In Eniileben Camp," with Santa Clans laden with "prisoners comforts" getting over the barbed-wire .entanglements that top the fence. In tliis paper it was discovered that tho.; prisoners had a strong loaning for the stage, and hud acted lots of plays since tliey had bcp.n forced to do southing to wile away the time. Among tho plays produced were M. Carre's "Prodigal Son," "Mr. Precd.v and tho Countess," "My Pal. Jerry," "The Master Builder," "Trial by Jury," (Gilbert and Sullivan's convic opera), "Fooling," "The Importance of Being Ernest," and "La Petite Chocoatiero." The brochure is finely illustrated, has 1 a number of verses, cartoons, and comic sketches, and includes a detailed plan of the Rnlilehon racecourse. ■ 'Under the heading of "Thanks," this journal says:—

"Tu view of the permission kindly accorded us by the censor to send our Christmas number to /England, wo should like to take this opportunity of thanking the folks at home in tho ■name of the whole camp for the gen- , erosity and kindly thought which has filled our parcels office. Those who did not receive, any parcels from Homo were looked after by a small committee here in the camp, and such was tho generosity of those who had been more fortunate, that we can safely say that there was no man in the camp whose Christmas breakfast table was not graced by a handsome parcel. We may perhaps venture to offer a word of advice to those at Home in regard to catering for the needs o.f their. Ruhlebenites. The first essential is butter, or, failing that, margerine or dripping. . Though most of us have been ;on the Continent for two years our stomachs still yearn for the morning bacon, and we may remark, in passing, it is strange how well bacon stands the journey. For the rest, we can only congratulate the old folks at Home on the wonderful pertinacity they have shown in anticipating one's wants."

Every parcel that has ever been sent to Mr. Hunt by his people in New Zealand or from England lias reached its destination absolutely intact. Every parcel Mr. and Mrs. Hunt or Mrs. Strickland (his sister) have sent has been numbered and a note taken of the contents, and on every occasion Mr. Horace Hunt has written acknowledging the receipt of the same. They have even sent photographs, newspaper clippings, clothes, rice, sugar, condensed milk,. cakes, tobacco, and cigarettes, and never once has , any parcel been interfered with. Formerly it was possible'to send an 111b. parcel to a prisoner free of charge, but the weight has now been cut down to 71b., but there is still no restriction on the number of such parcels. No postage'is charged in New Zealand on letters for civil prisoners.