REINHARDT AFFAIR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 June 1939, Page 8

REINHARDT AFFAIR

AND SEQUEL IN VIENNA THE GERMAN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION. NO CHARGE AGAINST MR' GAINER. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 12.55 p.m.) LONDON, June 21. Herr Reinhardt, speaking at his home in Birkenhead, where his wife and two daughters were packing, said: “We go to Berlin on June 23. There obviously are things I have to discuss with the Government.” The Berlin correspondent of “The Times” gives the official explanation of the request to withdraw Mr D. St Clair Gainer: “It was disclosed in the course of criminal proceedings that the British Consulate-General in Vienna was involved in the affair of a prohibited information service.” The correspondent adds that it will be noted that no suggestion is made that Mr Gainer personally is involved. He says that for some unknown reason the British action against Herr Reinhardt is not mentioned in Germany. Reuters’ Vienna correspondent says it is stated at the Consulate that MiGainer does not understand the reason of the request for his recall. He received the news through the British Embassy. Otherwise he had received no notification. He had no idea when he would be leaving.

At the request of the British Government. Herr Reinhardt has been recalled from the post of German Consul at Liverpool, following on disclosures in Court proceedings that he was implicated ip the sale of military secrets. As a retaliatory measure, Germany has requested Britain to recall Mr Donald St. Clair Gainer, British Consul-Gen-eral at Vienna, stating that the reasons were identical to those leading to Herr Reinhardt's recall.