A VAGRANT GERMAN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 128, 31 May 1916, Page 3

A VAGRANT GERMAN.

BROTHER OF HERR BALLIN IN NEW ZEALAND.

SENTENCED TO IMPRISONMENT

One of the sad sidelights of the war

(says the [Whangarei correspondent of the Auckland Herald) was revealed at Whangarei to-day, when Maximilian Ballin was committed to prison for three months in the Mount Eden gaol. He is a brother of Herr B'allin, the groat German shipping magnate, and head of the Hamburg-Amerika line. Maximilian Ballin ha s been in the colonies for many years. He was apparently an educated man, and was in receipt of remittances from his brother. He followed a quiet occupation and kept tradesmen's books, and to all appearances was harmless. At all events no exception was taken to his presence in the town. After the outbreak of the war Ballin's remittance money was apparently stopped, and, being a foreigner, he could not get the class of work he was capable of doing. Ballin gradually drifted, and some time ago had to go to the hospital. After bis discharge he came back into his old circle in the town, but he could get no work to do. Eventually, after hanging about for some considerable time, he went last night to the police station and asked to be arrested. He was put in the cells, and this morning was charged with vagrancy. Mr. Chaseell, J.P., and Mr. Eccles. J.P.. sentenced him to three months' imprisonment, saying that it was not punishment for a criminal action, but the best way to dispose of Ballin, who was practically helpless to look after himself in the communitv.

There is no specially unkind feeling towards Ballin, but, as the brother of a personal friend of the Kaiser, feeling naturally operates against him at the present time. It is generally thought that his proper place should be with the interned men. Apart from his failing powers, his enemy nationality helped to hinder him from mak-. ing a living.