PRISONERS OF WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 245, 14 October 1918, Page 2

PRISONERS OF WAR.

GERMAN MALTREATMENT.

THREAT OF REPRISALS. i Received 11.33 a.m.) LONDON, October 13. The Press llnreail has issued a statement by t!i" Inter-departmental Committee on War Prisoners, announcing the n-ccipt of t'crmany's refusal to ratify the Anglo-German ' prisoners agreement unless guarantees were given against deportation <ir internment of Hermans in China. The statement proceeds to nay that the (lovornment is determined to take drastic steps to stop the continued maltreatment of British war prisoners behind the lines, ill the salt mines, and elsewhere, and aeeordint'lv demands that Oermany shall redress these grievances, particularly and firstly that it shall immediately remove prisoners not less than IS miles behind the lirintr lines, secondly that it shall afford proper and humane treatment to prisoners ill the occupied territories an.l elsewhere: thirdly that it shall permit bhe Netherlands' representatives to inspect occupi'M territory behind the lines with a view to asccrtain-injr if the grievances have been redressed : fourthly it shall undertake lhat no prisoner henceforth shall be employed in salt mines; fifthly, it shall carry out the : article* if the recent Hague agreement I containing a Immune code for the treatment of prisoners.

Cerniatiy has ben notified that unless within four mvU these rc.|iiiroments he accepted. Britain will, in concert with her nllic-. take such reprisals as are deemed necessary to compel Germany to treat prisoners in accordance with international law an.l the practice of civilised nations. In any cane. Britain will hold (Jermany responsible for unlawful and inhuman treatment of prisoners, and take all stop* in her power to ensure that the persons responsible for the outrages •'hall be punished. The nature of further reprisals which may be taken will be considered in consultation with the Allies. Stop* are also heinpr taken to secure bettor treatment of priwuiers in Turkish lia-'ile. instructions have been Rent t" Ccnoml Allcnby that in the event of an armistice with Turkey the immediate and unconditional return of prisoners should be required. -(A. and N.Z. an.l H.-utcr.l