ENEMY ALIENS.

Taihape Daily Times, 29 August 1918, Page 4

ENEMY ALIENS.

To the Editor. Sir,—As the storekeeper in business hot a hundred miles from Mataroa against whom "Conscript's" letter recently published by you is obviously directed, I claim the right to reply thereto. Your correspondent in his statement that I appealed on tTfe ground that I was not a Reservist "being the unnaturalised subject "of an alien enemy" is not correct. "When sending in my appeal papers I did not strike out the paragraph "that I am a Reservist," but allowed the appeal to gc in on this and other grounds. When the appeal came on for hearing, having in the meantime satisfied myself that I am a British subject (just as I hope "Conscript" is, though his letter lacks that sense of fair play that British subjects claim) I at once withdrew that ground of appeal and the Board dealt with the appeal on the remaining grounds. This fact was not adviied to in your report at the time; you reported to the effect that the appeal was decided on the ground that I was not a Reservist, but if you will refer to the Minutes of the Board, you will find that they bear out the correctness of my statement. If your correspondent will do himself, and me, the justice of enquiring into my parentage he will learn that though I am a British subject, my people were the subjects of an alien State, but not of an alien enemy State as your correspondent Has been good enough to suggest. When the time comes that my appeal will be re-heard, as no doubt shortly it will, I shall go into camp with no regrets but with better "grace than your correspondent shows. Your own comment to "Conscript's" letter expresses the opinion that all unnaturalised aliens should be intenrned. Do you realise, Sir, that you have thus committed yourself to the wish that all unnaturalised Frenchmen and 3£merlcans, our alien friends, should be shut up on Somes' Island with our alien en* mies? —I am, etc., L. BROOKT.