TREATMENT OF ALIENS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3991, 26 July 1915, Page 3

TREATMENT OF ALIENS.

WHAT IS BEING DONE. “A VERY WATCHFUL EVE.” STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. By Telegraph—Special Correspondent. WELLINGTON, July 23. A question respecting the surveillance of aliens resident in New Zealand was put to tho Prime Minister in the House yesterday by Mr G. W. Russell (Avon). He asked whether the Government was keeping a ■watchful eye on tho enemy subjects in the Dominion. Two incidents, he said, which had been brought under his notice appeared to indicate that a closer watch was necessary. In one ca.*e a German in one of our cities had been referred to by liis partner as practically wasting away to a shadow because he was afraid that the Germans were going to be beaten. He (Air Russell) doubted whether that was the kind of man who should be allowed to bo at large. Air Wilford (Hutt) : Perhaps he is suffering from “kultur.” Air' Russell said that m the second case, which had occurred in another city, a German had asked another resident whether there were any means of communicating with Germany. The latter replied: “Yes; it is quite simple.” A letter, he said, could be posted to Switzerland and it would be sent direct to Germany. There was, he stated, no trouble about it. On tho man who made the inquiry expressing surprise at this answer the man who made the statement attempted to throw doubt upon it, apparently thinking that he had gone a little too far. If people of the kind were at large, especially in our leading ports, it was time that closer attention was given to tho matter of whether the number of people on Somes Island would not bo increased. The Prime Minister said that he was glad to be able to answer the quea tion in the affirmative. A very wat~nful eye was being kept upon the enemy subjects resident in this country. A commission had recently been appointed to deal 1 with the question. Air Wilford : Don’t you know Dial/ there is a quicker way? Mr Massey-said that wherever there were any suspicious circumstances in connection with any of these enemy subjects the attention of the Aliens Board was directed to it and inquiries were made. Alt- Poole (Atickland West) ; W!c\t about the man who put a brick through Fowlds’iwindow in Auckland? He wanted to go on the Island, but they would not let him go. Air Massey: He is probably quite.' safe .away from the Island. Mr R. Fletcher (Wellington Central) : What about Professor A" on Zeydlitz? Air Massey said that a great dear, more had been done in New Zealand in regard to aliens uiim either Parliament or the public were aware of. He would probably be able to make a. fuller statement in a day or' two. He would not answer the question about Professor Von Zeydlitz at present because it would probably he answered very shortly without him saying anything. Air Russell observed that very often the, people who did nothing to excitesuspicion were tire most dangerous. The man who gave himself away was probably nothing worse than a fool, but the man who worked in the dark and said nothing required looking after.