PRO-GERMANISM ?

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2790, 7 June 1916, Page 6

PRO-GERMANISM ?

' -■ THE INCIDENT AT GORE ' 1 - '• .v -- ; NO OFFICIAL CORROBORATION | / i ! . ■ . .... ; The-reported pro-Gerniun , denionstra- [ tion in, the streets of Gore on Sunday by some youths of Germau extraction in p-V/if'-'lKUidttr of the supposed Gorman victory ; in the Morth Sea.uattleWas the subject or several, questions in the House of Ken., presentativea yesterday. 1 Ifirst of all. Air. W. H. Field (Otaki) : gave notioe of a question couched in re;.v guiar torn • asking the Government to loake fuil inquiries.

. Payne was next; with a question . :of another sort. Would the Government, .he inquired, consult'the member for the • district;'arid arrange that in.future brass . Bands' would be available for those of German origin who desired to oelebrate a German victory, and. also that an ample supply of firework? should be 'placed at their disposal? . , . ' The Prime Minister promptly rose to express the hope that no such question ;• as this would be allowed to reach the .. Order- Paper. v . . Mr. Speaker: Tes, it is entirely out or ' order, and especially niter my remarks . the other day, pointing out that frivolous matter couid not be introduced into ques--5 tioiis. The hon. member should havu re- . cognised- that this question could not go upon the Order Paper. .-.-.-Mr. Payne: I am sorry if I hurt the Prime Minister's feelings. Mr. Speaker:-Order! Mr. G. J. Andereon (Mataura), in. a question .without notice, inquired i{ the report had been inquired into. He ui- - derstood, he said, that certain Germans ■"in-the district were in the haoit of holding keg parties, and-if this was 6orrect he desired to know if it was to be allowed to continue. The Prime -ttimster,.- in the absence ■of the Minister-in-Charge of the Police Department, said he would give all the available. -The,police at Gore : had, been. communicated with,- and two . .telegrams had, -been-.received from the inspector-of the district. These were as follow:— '

"Invercargill, June 5, 3916. . .."Five young men of German birth, born inGore, were under the ; influence of liquor on Saturday; last; on- Sunday they discharged .two bombs. 1 Heyond this there is. not a particle of evidenoe that their ;<»nduot was in celebration of -the naval fight. They will be. charged with dis.cnarging fireworks in a publio place. A .report will be lorwarded as soon as te•xeived v from ; Gore—(Signed).; Norwood, Inspector." ' '" . '. ' .

' ' "fnvorcargill, June 6, 1916. "Gore police state that the youths complained of ■ are of German-British parentage, lx>rn at Gore,' and that tiiey did- not marcn. through the street as (stated in the newspapers. 1 ani; having the matter thoroughly investigated. It may be the outcome of misdirected zeal ill Invercargill. On Saturday the'firebell was rung on receipt, of the news re the

.Norwood, ■ Inspector." "I .want to say," added Mr. Masse) j "that , neither , the Government nor the ' people of this 'country will tolerate any . pro-German celebrations. If these people wish to show any sympathy, with Germany, they will find themselves on Somes Island - very speedily, and they will re- ' main there for the remainder of the war." (Hear, hear.) Mr. Anderson ■ further asked if the • Government would push its investigations as far as possible,'and if these men were lound guilty of pro-German proclivities,. - would the Government intern them, and also instruct the police to put down the -- keg parties in connection frith . this . . matter'? " . Jlr.: Jlassey said he would'hare much ! pleasure in putting-: the, representations

before the. Minister-in-Charge of the Department, and he had; no doubt that his • answer to the requests would be in the affirmative.