GERMANS IN AUSTRALIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1919, Page 12

GERMANS IN AUSTRALIA.

ANXIOUS TO REMAINj EXTRAORDINARY REQUESTS* Sydney, Aug. 13. Much remark has been caused in this country by a statement, more or less official, that a large number of letters have been received by the military authorities fiom Australian residents asking that various Germans who have been, interned during the war be not deported to Germany, but be allowed to remain in Australia under a guarantee of their good behaviour. ' Many of these letters come from employers of labor. It appears that there ere quite a number of highly skilled vorkmen, glass-blowers and tobaccomakers particularly, among tpese inlernees, and that class of employer who puts expediency and profits before all other considerations is asking that these Germans be allowed to remain. It is difficult to understand, for everyone kr.ows that our internment laws were not extremely strict, and only proved enemies of our country were made prisoners. Other requests on behalf of the Germans come from Australian women, who desire to marry certain of them. Judging by these letters, quite a number of Australian females were faithful to Fritz and Hans while they were shut up as undesirables, but neither the ladies nor their lovers seem eager to proceed, to the Fatherland in order to set up housekeeping. The matter of deportation is settled by an Aliens Board, which inquires into individual cases, and it is stated that quite a lot of the Teutons who come before the hoard "give as a reason for their request* to be allowed to remain that they are engaged to marry Australians. Neither the demand of the employer nor the pathetic request of the Australian Miss is carrying much weight—the reluctant Fritz is leaving this connfry in shiploads. The "heartless" hoard even refused the plea of a German officer who wanted to go back to New Guinea, and who promised to be "as loyal to Britain in the future ag he had been to Germany in the past."