PROFESSOR VON ZEIDLITZ.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 230, 19 June 1915, Page 2

PROFESSOR VON ZEIDLITZ.

TO BE RETAINED AT VICTORIA COLLEGE. AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION. . :, ; ., June 16. ; At to-night's meeting of the Victoria , College Council, a report was received from the .Finance and General Purposes , Committee with regard to the position of the Professor of Modern Languages at the University. The Committee has at three "meetings considered the position of Professor Von Zedlitz and a sub-committee has interviewed the Minister for Internal Affairs on the position and the committee reports as follows: After quoting from the proclamation of August 19th, 1914, extending to certain subjects of the German Emperor and of the Emperor of Aus-: tria, now peaceably resident in the Dominion, the committee say: the Government has, since this matter was refered to your committee, appointed a Royal Commission to deal with the question of aliens within the Dominion. This appiontment disposes of any necessity on the part of the committee to consider the broader question involved, leaving it to consider only how far the interests of Victoria University College are affected.. Professor Von Zedlitz is not a naturalised British subject and cannot become one at the present time. -The Government will not naturalise any alien of German or Austrian origin until the end of the war. On the other hand, it is not certain that he is a German subject. His mother was an Englishwoman. George William Von Zedlitz was born in Germany and left that country when fourteen years old. He was at school for two years in Switzerland, and subsequently for three years at Wellington College, an English public school. He was for four years at Trinity College, Oxford University, and subsequently for seven years was a master at Loretto, one of the foremost public schools in Scotland. The written parole of Professor Von Zedlitz has been accepted by the Government. He is bound by his parole to do nothing, by word or deed, detrimental to Britain; in no way to assist the enemy; to hold no communication with that the professor has not honorably observed his parole, and from his past conduct has every reason to believe that he will continue rigidly to observe his obligations under that parole. Sixty letters from the professors and from present and past students in Modern Languages, which have been sent to your committee, spontaneously show that the professor has the support and confidence of the majority of his: colleagues and students. It is worthy of observation that while the total number of students at Victoria University College has fallen compared with last vear, the number of students talcing Modern Languages has increased. The committee reports—(a) that a Eoyil Commission has been appointed to deal with the relation of aliens in respect to the public safety; (b) that in respect to the interests of Victoria College, the eommttee is of opinion that Professor Von Zedlitz should be retained in his position. The Hon. A. L. Herdman moved that the report be adopted.

Mr. C. Wilson said that he could not agree to the adoption of the report. The proclamation of August, 1914, had been overridden by the Gazette notice of December 10th. The Under-Secret-ary of Internal Affairs had stated in a a letter that instructions had been issued under that Gazette notice that all non-naturalised Germans in the Government service were to be removed from office at once. It was tTue that the College was not Government insti- , tution, but it received State money and realy a part of the State educational sysem. The Professor was ust as much as if he had been in actual Government employ, and he was in the same position as other Germans who were now on Somes Island. As far as the appointment of the Advisory Board was concerned, the action of the Government did not relieve the Council from responsibility; the real point of the report was that the Professor of. Modern Languages was not a naturalised British subect and could not become one at the present time.. The chairman (Mr. C. Watson) seconded the amendment. He did so, he said, with a stipulation that the Professor should be treated justly in the matter of notice. The Empire was in a very grave position, and its interests demanded the crushing of the German military machine. He had no hesitation in accepting the Professor's parole, but could the Professor sympathise with the aspiration of the British people for a complete and final victory in the present war? That seemed to be the vital question. The Council without any breach of faith, could suspend the Professor for any term that seemed proper on. conditions that were just,.and in the speaker's opinion , the right course was clear.

After some discussion the report was adopted.