WOMEN'S ANTI-GERMAN LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3132, 10 July 1917, Page 3

WOMEN'S ANTI-GERMAN LEAGUE

ANNUAL MEETING

The second annual meeting of the Women's Anti-German League was held in tho League liooms, Hannah's Buildings, yesterday evening. Tko president, Miss Holmes, occupied tho chair, and in opening the meeting congratulated the, leaguo upon- tho sound financial position shown by the balance-sheet. Tho activities of German residents 'n Now Zealand, their penetration into our public life and sorvice, were spoken oi, and she expressed herself as being emphatically of the opinion that no one of German descent should have entry into the public life of New Zealand or into any of its public services. Quoting the words of a well-known publicists, iMib's Holmes said that naturalisation was a fiction, and we took it as a reality. We needed to revise our naturalisation laws and purgo this evil people from our public life. ,Our civilisation was in danger through the influence they had exerted, and there "was the possibility of its being overwhelmed as had been the case with great civilisations of tho past. To this nation agaiiist which we are lighting to-day do we owe this terrible depletion, of our manhood, sml she had hoped that we would see that there, was no encouragement of Gcrir.au productivities in our midst, and no encouragement given in tbe way of building -up their prosperity among British peoples. i 'Ihe report of the year's work was presented by the secretary, lire. Moore, and was as .iWlowsi—

Meetings have been held iwice a week. On 'Hominy evenings they are for members' and friends, at which social intercom's* is held, and interesting discussions .relating to tho work and objects of tho league, and on. Wednesday afternoon they iiro held for the executive to ■transact business. A total of 101 meetings for the year is shown. Letters had been received and answered on an/averago of between thirty or forty per month. Many private interviews were held, and cases dealt with relating to aliens in our forces and aliens in our midst, ou which wo keep a constant uheek. The secretary has lind several interviews with the Commissioner of Police relating to suspicious characters, and on eacli occasion courtesy and help have been met with. A.watchful eye is also kept on shops with enemy goods, and reports of same have ■ been sent to bo investigated by 'the ' Customs . officers. Tho society does not advocate a fanatical persecution of Germans, because they are Germans; but it does protest against Germans going with ,our soldiers, and against Germans being retained in positions in flie Civil Service where they might .obtain information of use to tho enemy.' The membership "ueeps up its number of over two thousand, but these are not all financial members, many of them living out of Wellington. 'Tho work of the league is making itself Jclt, and has played an important part in keeping the public in touch witli the grave danger' in our midst. J he society has also endeavoured to do its share in social work. It has given several donations from the penny fund for patriotic work, and the efforts of the sewing .bee have resulted in a box of clothing of ninety articles in good order being handed to the secretary of the Navy League for sailors' dependants nf Home. Much indebtedness is expressed to the vice-president, Mrs. T. H. Loiyry, who has so generously supported the league financially as well as socially, and it is felt that members cannot thank her sufficiently for the deep interest she has taken in all things pertaining to our soldiers' .welfare. Lady Stout has also greatly helped the work of the league

The balance-sheet as read by the treasurer (Mrs. Every). showed a balance in the bank of M 6 is. 10d.

The election of officers resulted in the re-election of Miss Holmes as president, Mrs. M'Vicar and Mrs. T. 11. Lowry as vice-presidents, Mrs. Moore, secretary, and Mrs. Every as treasurer. The committee is:—Mesdames Irwin, Dixon, Trim, Rouutree, Mason, Mnrmont, Belworthy, Hamilton, and Miss Gawlor.

Lady Stout, in the course of an interesting speech, referred to the Naturalisation Bill with which the House is to deal, and said she considered that/ it wns not nearly strong enough. New South Wales had dealt with the question far.more severely, and unless other measures were introduced it appeared to her that things would be very much as they were before. She referred to a meeting called'by the Women's Imperial Defence .Council at Home, at which Lord Beresford and Sir Henry Dalziel, M.P., were speakers, and at which it was demanded that there should be a total elimination of all traces of enemy influence in the social, political and economic life of the country.. Enemy subjects who made many protestations of their loyalty to Britain, were, in her opinion, to be .distrusted. Lady Stout drew a picture of the way in which German interned wove treated in New Zealand (particularly in Auckland), and of the way in which our own men were treated when they were made prisoners. The following resolutions were carried by the meeting:— (1) That this meeting of the Women's Anti-German League and sympathisers declare that the time has come when in the interests of the nation it is imperative to eliminate all traces of enemy interests from our social, political and economic life.

(2) That this meeting respectfully requests the Prime Minister to have ksisliition immediately passed to prevant sny naturalised British subject of enemy parentage from holding or being appointed to the position of member of the Legislative Council or any local authority, Civil Service, or. in the reserve of the Expeditionary Force. (!)) That this meeting s views with alarm the amount of German duplicity carried on throughout tho British Empire, and urges Hie Government to take stronger measures in dealing with the question of interning Germans in this Dominion. / | Apologies for their absence were received from Mr?. T. H. Lowry, Mrs. TVilford, and Mrs. Liddle.