GERMAN FLAG REMOVED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22376, 13 April 1938, Page 12

GERMAN FLAG REMOVED

WELLINGTON INCIDENT

BERLIN ADVISED BY

CABLEGRAM

WELLINGTON, April 12,

For the fourth time within a year a German flag has been removed while flying in Wellington. At the time of the Coronation celebrations last May the flag was twice removed from the grounds of Parliament House, and was also reported to have been taken from the roof of the German Consulate. On Sunday morning the caretaker of Featherston Chambers, at the corner of Featherston and Brandon streets, in which the consulate is located, noticed that the German flag was missing from its pole at the north corner of the building, and at once advised the Consul, Dr. W. Hellenthal. . It was discovered that access to the roof had been obtained through a skylight in St. George’s Building, Brandon street. It is thought that the offender must have been familiar with the building, as the attic containing the skylight is rarely visited. The building has a false roof, so that after squeezing through the skylight, which was broken in the process, the person responsible must have passed along the parapet on the Brandon and Featherston street frontages, with the danger of a drop of about 100 feet to the street. Detectives were called immediately to the building and are investigating. Dr. Hellenthal said to-day that the German Government had been advised by cablegram o$ the occurrence, It was not his desire,/however, that publicity be given the matter, which was now in the hands of the New Zealand police. The German flag is flown in Wellington on only a few days in each month, of which the ninth is one. It is usually taken down at sunset; but on Saturday this was not done.