THE DATE OF PEACE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 121, 16 February 1920, Page 8

THE DATE OF PEACE

;• » NO PROCLAMATION YET. According to a cablegram the London Gazette has declared January 10, 1920, to be the official date of the termination of tho war. with Germany. This announcement has. not yet been confirmed in any communication received by the New Zealand Government, and tliero seems to be some doubt about the accuracy of the cablegram. It has been anticipated that some notice would be given of the official, termination of thn war, in view "of tho importance attaching to it. The duration of some New Zealand legislation is dependent upon Unofficial dato of the ending of the war. Many business people have an in I west in the matter also, and Ministers have -stated on more than one occasion that reasonable notice will be given. The law of the Dominion defines the date of the termination of the war as a date.to be fixed by the Government bv proclamation. This proclamation has not. been issued. Among the persons particularly interested in this date are some German prisoners who remain in the hands of tho New Zealand Government. They are chieflv German civilians from Samoa, and the Dominion authorities have not vet stated definitely what is to become of them. Some of the German civilians who were removed from Samoa during the war have been allowed to return. Rome have gone to Germany. Other Germans remained on the islands during the war. eubiect to prompt arrest and removal in the event of ill-beliaviour. The ; final settlement as far as these Germans ' are. concerned has still to be made.