ALIEN CONVICTED

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 173, 18 April 1942, Page 8

ALIEN CONVICTED

New Zealand Woman Who Married A German

A woman whose German husband is interned in New Zealand, Zelinda Meta Froli, appeared before Mr. Harley, S.M., in tlie Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, charged with being in possession of a radio set designed for reception, and with a breach of the change of name emergency regulations. She pleaded guilty to the first charge and not guilty to the second. Mr. A. 'E. Hurley appeared for defendant, and DetectiveSergeant W. McLennan prosecuted. On the Avireless charge, Detective-Ser-geant McLennan said Mrs. Froli was given tlie set by a seaman off an overseas ship. Several' valves and other parts were missing from tlie set when she got it, and it was incapable of receiving nuy communication. Less than a week after receiving it she sold it. Detective W. Ritchie produced a statement accused made to him in connexion with the change of name charge. She said she married Froli in 1931, and after the marriage they went to Australia, where Froli became a naturalized British subject. After 18 moifths . in Australia they returned to Dunedin, where they lived till Froh was interned ill December, 1940. After that things became unpleasant for Mrs. Froli in Dunedin. Tlie windows of her house were broken, and she could not get a job. She consulted a lawyer, who told her she would be allowed to use her maiden name to obtain employment, the statement continned, and some police officers also advised her to the same effect. Detective Ritchie said that inquiries hud not borne out Mrs. Froh’s statement regarding the police. Ever since she had come to Wellington she hud been known as Miss Brewer, her maiden name, the sstatemerit concluded. When it was state*. Hint Mrs. Froli was a New Zealander by birth, and that her parents were New Zen landers, the magistrate asked how it was Hint she became an alien. DetectiveSergeant McLennan stated Hutt it was because she had married li German, mid Inul not applied at Hie lime to retain her own nationality. Giving evidence on her own behalt. Mrs. Froh said that she had hud several jobs since her husband was interned, bur. she hud lost them all when Iler employers had found she was married to a German. The £2/3/- a week she was earning at her present position was her sole income.

Mr. Hurley said it was a coinniom practice for married women to use then maiden mime for business purposes, and it was impossible lor Mrs. 1' roll to make a living without doing so. The police had not been inconvenienced by the change. With regard Io the charge concerning the wireless set. Mr. Hurley said the set was delivered jointly to Mr-. Froh and another woman she lived wiln, and had Mrs. Froh wished to deceive the police she could easily have had it delivered expressly to the other woman. In convicting Mrs. Froh on liol.i charges the magistrate said she was m ,a difficult position, bin -he had got her self into it. She had voluntarily madhereelf an alien, but m wartime neither the country, the Court, nor tile police could "ive aliens any rope. It was i privilege for aliens not to be interned, and those who were not had to be very careful. He convicted mid discharged Mrs Froh on the change of rninte’ ease, ami adjourned the ease concerning tile wireless for a week to Hud out more about what had happened to the set. ANOTHER CASE Slated to have told the police that his own mime was so hard Ip pronounce that he used something easier, Heinz Kurt Fleischmann pleaded guilty belore Mr. Stout. S.M.. in Hie Magistrates Court, Wellington. yesterday, to a breach of the change'of name emergency regulalions Evidence! was given that b Risenmaim registered nt a hotel nt which ne was staving as Heinz.. He said he 100 Hie police of his change of address, and Hie manager of the Imlel knew his rem name ns letters came to him as r leiscliiminii. "He still kept a foreign mime, commented the magistrate in tilling accused £5 and costs, adding a warning that he would be imprisoned lor a lurthvr i > IT( ‘lice.