"THE MYSTERY CAMP."

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17020, 17 December 1920, Page 7

"THE MYSTERY CAMP."

AUSTRALIAN INTERNMENT CENTRE BEING DEMOLISHED. (rnoM our own correspondent.) - SYDNEY, December 8. A link between Australia and one of the really curicus incidents of the Great "War is being demolished. A hundred tired labourers out near the sito of tho | Federal capital of Canberra are dei molishing a liugo internment camp. It I was built, at a cost of £150,000 to the ! British Government, and it was never occupied. Those who closely followed the war news may remember the course of Cinno-German relationship. Cnina, under Allied prestue, declared war on Germany. Some time later, still under Ali.ea —part-culariy Braisa —pressure, O'nina decided to intern ail Germans. Tiien an acute problem developed. Wiiore were tho Germans to be interned? There seemed to be difficulty in finding a suitable place in the JJ'ar East. 1< ood supply at that time dominated all considerations. Someone suggested that it would be easier to take the Germans to the food than engage ships to carry tho food to the Germans. The British War Office fell avidly upon the idea. ISo ono day in 1917, out in tho Fej deral Territory, there suddenly com- ! nienced an unexpected mad flurry of j building operations. Armies of workj men and trainload after trainload of | building material arrived from all parts of the State. Building operations went on day and night and on Sundays. The whole placo was surrounded in mystery. ■ No one was allowed to publish anything about the activity, and a ring of military guards kept the curious away. All that was known was that a camp of huge and permanent character was being established, and that money seemed to be no object. All sorts of rumours were about, but the one most generally believed ■ was that Holds-worthy Camp, near Sydney, was to be abandoned on account of its liability to disease and i the pernicious influence of certain disloyal elements which had begun to appear in Sydney. Tho camp in eight weeks was sufficiently well advanced to accommodate prisoners. No finer 'camp was built in the world. There was a watch-tower on a conical hill, and streets of lrnts ran out fan-\rise from the tower. Tho whole place was most elaborately sewered, lighted, and supplied with water. The dwellings were models of comfort and sanitation. Tho surrounding country was very beautiBut meanwhile there had teen shrieks and bellows from the "Wilhelmstrasso. Germany threatened all sorts of reprisals if her beloved children were taken away to savage Australia. A 1 compromise was effected and the 6 scheme abandoned. Tho great camp, i lay empty and idle for three years. It ■ was then sold for a tithe of its cost to » the Australian Government. It is now 1 being demolished and the valuable building material will presently appear i in soldiers' homes in different parts of the country.