TREATMENT OF ALIENS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 22, 27 January 1915, Page 10

TREATMENT OF ALIENS

TO TRB EDITOR. Sir,— A native of Bohemia, who resided 17 years in America (where he got naturalised), and who resided 24 years in Australia and New Zealand and always was honest and loyal and 'law-abiding, has been refused naturalisation by the Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs of New Zealand on account of having been born under the black and yellow Austrian flag 65 years ago. He left Austria in 1872, as 'he did not like soldiering and fighting for Austria, because Austrian Government officia^ and military officers and non-commissioned officera maltreat, abuse, insult, and knock the soldiers about if they are poor and of Bohemian or other Slavic races, such as Moravians (Galiziann Poles), Servians, Herzegovinans, Bavarians, Dalmatians, Croatians, Slavonians, Carniolans, and the Italian-speaking natives of Austrian Illiria (Adriatic Coast Country). These people are getting hung or -shot if they rebel or refuse to fight for Austria and j Germany or refuse supplies and accommodation to the Austrian troops and horses. Natives of Austria, and Germany who are not naturalised in New Zealand and Australia and other British possessions are obliged to report themselves at police stations daily, and are not allowed to su& in Court, are outlawed like criminals, and persecuted, and cannot travel beyond twenty miles without a permit. If they do not report, or if they travel beyond twenty miles, they get arrested. As Christian subjects of Turkey are exempted from reporting at police stations and are allowed to sue and are protected by the British Government, I beg His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand to grant all loyal and honest people exemption from reporting at police stations, to be allowed to sue in Court, and travel freely anywhere. If granted exemption and protection, all loyal and honest Germans and Austrians will be grateful, and subscribe a substantial sum to the New Zealand War Fund, yearly, during the war. I salute His Excellency and His Majesty, and Her Majesty, and remain very humbly and loyally — • AN OUTLAWED AND PERSECUTED RESIDENT OF NEW ZEALAND. (Formerly a resident 'in Austria and America.) Wellington, 2bth January.