AFTERNOON SITTING

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10608, 5 June 1920, Page 9

AFTERNOON SITTING

RE-EXAMINATION OF' WITNESS. APPLYING FOR NATURALISATION. His Honour, who was a-ttending the Government luncheon ' to General Birdwood, was detained till 4.30. Counsel then suggested that Mr Skerrett's re-examination of the witness should be taken and that the court should then adjourn to this morning. •• Re-examined by Mr_ Skerrett, Professor von Zedlita said that m tho case of German names tho prefix "von" had much the same meaning os the French prefix "do,*' signifying that the person bearing the namo waa of noblo family. Mr Skerrett: Was that your objection to dropping that part of your name?

Witness replied that that was' askI ins-him to analyse motives that he had never consciously seriously entertained. He had been rather anxious, os a matter of fact, for _ yeaTß to change his name to an Englisn name; but that was the sort, of thing that was put off from year to year. If he had been naturalised, ho would naturally haio desired to go the whole hog and drop his German name fox. an English one. Now thn 1 the war was over, he had asked 1 is solicitor to pub in an application for naturalisation as soon as tho circumstances permitted. His object in making the Btatcment in his letter to Sir Francis 801 l that when war was declared ho conceived it his duty to go to Germany and volunteer for, some noncombatant work, otc, was in answer to Sir Francis Bell's letter a letter which put him on his honour, and to lay bare tho whole ol the circumstances relating to himself. 'Ho felt that ho wa.s under an obligation to put anything that was against him into tho possession of the Minister, and he attempted to do so in what seemed to him to Iks an honourable way. Boing treated by a gentleman in an h onoura °lc way, ho felt it his duty to placo before him information oven that would put him in l a position to send Jiim to Somes Island. He was never required to report hinißelf to the police Regulations were passed requiring all aliens to take out a card, and thero was some general regulation about reporting. He had to report to the police station giving particulars on one occasion; but had not to report himself from week to week or month to month. Ho had no knowledge of any surveillance exercised over him. NO SIGNALLING.

Some suggestion" was made that signalling took place from your house. Is there any possible truth in that suggestion? *

Sir John Findlay: I did not make any sueh suggestion. All I said was that that was being said about the Professor, Mr Skerrett: Was there any truth in it?—No.

Counsel re-examined tho plaintiff as to tho compensation received from the Victoria Collogo Council on account of his dismissal, and as to why he had not resigned. Witness stated that he had offeror! to resign, hut tho council had "pressed him not to do so; and he after

that, left the matter in the councilV hands, feeling that it was not for hin to baulk the council in showing mag nanimity and fair play towards him: They had also, given him ample reason to suppose that his retaining of thi post was not displeasing to Cabinet. If any hint had been given that ttu pouncil ,or the Government wishet him to resign, he would have reeign ed immediately. No 6Uch hint canu to him. On the contrary. He firs knew that the Government was pass ling the Alien Enemy Teachers Act the dav before it wan passed. Sir John Findlay said that he w:v calling no evidence, so the case wouK be easily finished this morning; an; at 4.45 p.m. the court adjourned ti!i 10.30 a.m. to-day.