REPATRIATION OF GERMANS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 156, 27 March 1919, Page 5

REPATRIATION OF GERMANS

' NO ARRANGEMENTS FOE SHIPMENT MADE YET. No arrangement has yet been made for the shipment of the 100 interned Germans whose repatriation was ordered some time ago. It will be remembered that tho ship originally intended to take these men was required for military purposes and the departure of the Germans was postponed. Since then uo suitable ehip has. become available. The de-. mand for passenger accommodation on all steamers leaving for the United Kingdom is particularly keen, and the Defence authorities do not think it, desirable that the Germans should travel by a vessel that is carrying ordinary paegengers. The party awaiting repatriation-consists almost entirely of Germans having naval or , military status.- German. civilians, interned and otherwise, show very little inclination to return to their own country, and they cannot be,sent compulsorily at the present juncture. The Defence authorities offered to repatriate uninterned Germans, but only three or four accepted the chnnce to proceed to the, Fatherland without expense to themselves. Their reluctance is the more significant in- view of- the fact that the majority of the uninterned Germans have had a hard time during the war. Some of them have been unable to obtain any employment at all, and-have been dependent upon charitable,aid.