"HAIL HITLER"

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 24, 29 January 1934, Page 5

"HAIL HITLER"

NAZIS IN AUCKLAND

AND NO JOKES ALLOWED

A young reporter who . boarded tho German barque Magdalene Vinnen when she arrived at Auckland from Townsville, forgot that there has been a revolution in Germany. He greeted the master of the vessel with the ordinary "Good day, sir," to which Captain Peters ' responded by clicking his heels, raising his right hand arid saying- solemnly ;"Hail Hitler," pronouncing the first word' "Hile," says the Auckland "Star:" ! < Knowing quite well that he bears not the slightest resewiblance to the redoubtable Adolf, the tactless reporter grinned. "Do not laugh at that," said Captain 'Peters indignantly. "For laughing like that in Germany • you •would be sent to a concentration camp." While the reporter was trying to stutter an'apology, the Harbour Board pilot came to the rescue with a question. ; •■ i : ' " I have never seen such a change in a>country in ; such short time," said Captain Peters; "all tho streets arc clean and tidy and there are no crimes allowed, and no Communists." M And no jokes?" asked the reporter, who had got aver the apologetic staj;o, and remembered that he had been called "Hitler," whom he does not admire. "You do not make jokes about the German Government in Germany, or you go to a concentration camp," said Captain Peters, "and there you are— finished.' ', Captain Peters's gesture was expressive. At this mom«nt one of the officers came into the chartro'om with a bundle of documents for the captain to sign. As he turned to go, Captain Peters clicked his heels, raised his right hand, and solemnly boomed "Hail Hitler." The officer stopped, with a look of astonishment on his face; then, catching the captain's wink, he grinntid'broadly, and his remark as ho turned again to the door, without returning the salute, might have been translated as "Pull their other leg, skipper," or perhaps "Don't show off in front of the visitors, skipper," for Captain Peters laughed heartily. Meanwhile a small launch, with a German flag, even larger than that of the 3476-ton barque, hoisted to her masthead, was circling the Magdalene Vinnen. Aboard her a dozen hands were reaching for the sky, and a dozen voices, male and female, were hailing Hitler in as many different keys. Leaning over the bulwarks the crew of the Magdalene Vinnen grinned broadly, but, so far away from Adolf's concentration camps, they did not bother about their gymnastics. Ashore again after his brief interview, the reporter hastened along Quay Street filled with the patriotic infection. Meeting an old and tried friend, he raised his hand in the approved manner and roared "Hail Forbes." Then he had to sidestep smartly to dodge a wicked straight left. British railways last year bought 14,000,000 tons of coal, 210,000 tons of rails, 290,000 tons of ironwork, 21,000,000 bricks, 17,000,000 cubic feet of timber, and 4,000,000 sleepers, 9000 tons of paint, 62.000 tons of oil, and over 2000 miles of cloth.