PRISONERS OF WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1919, Page 12

PRISONERS OF WAR.

RELEASE ON PAROLE. PEACE PROCLAMATION AWAITED. There are at present about two hundred Germans and Austrians interned in New Zealand, but' until an official proclamation of peace has been wade the New Zealand Government can make no pronouncement regarding their liberation. Some of these aliens are married to New Zealand women, and have children, and instances have occurred where their- long confinement has caused a certain amount of financial embarrassment to their wives and families. Dependants in such circumstances arc entitled to claim relief from the charitable aid boards, who receive reimbursement from war expenses for the payments which they-make. In order that those wives and families who are in necessitous circumstances may. be enabled to receive further assistance, arrangements have been made for married prisoners of war to be liberated on parole. These men must obtain work, and the conditions attaching ■ to their release provide that they must report to the police authorities at such times as may be decided upon, and must not travel more than twenty miles from the town in which they reside without obtaining the permission of the police. Parole may also be extended to prisoners whose state of health justifies their temporary release, or who have dependants who are iij. a serious state of ill-health. Already about twelve prisoners of war have been liberated on parole. They are all Germans, and two of them have been released on the ground of bad health. In certain cases German* who were arrested in New Zealand under the general policy of the • Government, but against whom nothing is known, aTe being permitted to return to Australia, provided they can establish proof that they were naturalised there, and have obtained the consent of the Axistralian authorities to reside in the Commonwealth. Up to the present two Germans have gone back to Australia to live, and an application from another for authority to return is now receiving consideration. One of these men had seen in New Zealand only since Wl3, and was employed on the waterfront. The regulations laid it down, however, that no alien enemies were to be allowed to work on the wharves,, and as he had not been naturalised in New Zealand, he accordingly had to undergo internment. His conduct while a prisoner of war was said to be excellent, and he was considered to entertain anti-German feelings. Although this man was born in Germany he had resided in Australia since childhood. Some of the prisoners of war are claiming allegiance to new States which have been set up in Europe by the Peace Conference, and are advancing this as a reason why they should be liberated. Four of them maintain that they are of Czecho-Slovak nationality, and they have asked to be released on this ground, Vj) steps in this direction will be taken by the military authorities, however, until the internees can produce satisfactory evidence regarding their nationality from the Czechoslovak National Committee in London. Tn May last the AVitlochra left New Zealand with a number of prisoners of Avar, who were being returned to the Fatherland. Some of them had the option of going back to Germany, and others had nif choice in the matter, their further residence in New Zealand, whether as free men or internees, not being considered desirable. It is understood that a resident of Wellington has received a cablegram from one of the prisoners who left by the Willochra to the effect that he is returning to New Zealand. Tee country from which the cablegram is reported to have been sent is Spain, and it is believed that the man will be back in the Dominion very shortly. Tt is not known whether he has obtained British passports to return to New Zealand, or whether he has succeeded in proving that he is a national of one of the neutral States, but as far as the New Zealand authorities are concerned all the evidence goes to rliow that he is a German, and unless he possesses satisfactory credentials when he returns he will not be allowed to land in this country