PROFESSOR YON ZEDLITZ

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 150, 26 June 1915, Page 8

PROFESSOR YON ZEDLITZ

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — I read with a great deal of interest a letter in your issue of the 24th inst. over the signature of "P. Burbidge." It resolved itself into a defence of Professor Yon Zedlitz. If your correspondent does not admit my claim to speak on behalf of the citizens of New Zealand, neither do I. My statement was tliat I felt sure I had the citizens of New Zealand behind me, and I ani more convinced than ever that I have. In clause 3 of Mr. Burbidge's letter he says he objects to my sneer regarding the i question of the professor's naturalisation. J. am Eorry your correspondent has allowed his feelings to run away with his sense of reasoning, for if he will read my letter again he will see there was no, sneer. What I Btated was a question of fact and com-raon-sense, and for his benefit I will repeat it : "If the professor has and is so enamoured with the British race, and has been living amongst us since he was fourteen years of age, then I am surprised that he has not taken out his naturalisation papers." He was quite within his own righta in not doing bo, no one desires to compel him. to become a naturalised subject, but the fact is he is an alien subject to-day by his own choice, and therefore cannot logically expect any treatment other than should be accorded to enemy subjects. There is no good disguising the fact that unnaturalised Germans in subordinate positions have been sent to Somes Island, while others have been granted parole, some have been dismissed from the Public Service, and yet we are retaining Professor Yon Zedlitz in a semiGovernment college. We are a wonderful race, fearfully and wonderfully made, and I am beginning to wonder where on earth all our sentiment and so-called British fair play is going to end, possibly it will only end With us, and it seems that the aim of some people is to speed the day when that end shall come. I can assure your readers that as chairman of the Patriotic Society, I have been inundated with requests to call a public indignation meeting. I have referred them to the Mayor, but have, up to the present, not heard whether such a meeting is being called. Personally, I am against calling such a meeting, although you yourself advocated it* because I feel it will lead to what one might term mob violence, at least it will aggravate a position which t is bad enough at the present time, but I say in all seriousness thai if the authorities do not take some action shortly something will have to be done to compel them to view the seriousness of the position as viewed by a very large proportion of this very British portion of the Empire. — I am, etc., H. G. HILL, Chairman, N.Z. Patriotic Society. TO TDK EDITOR. Sir, — " No Surrender " asks what matters it that "My father drew a long bow at Hastings." If truth and morals are in any way concerned that, statement matters greatly, inasmuch as from the point of view of truth, it in itself indicates the treacherous nature of the ground upon which "No Surrender" takes a stand. As a matter of fact, "My father" did not draw a long bow at Hastings, because the long bow had not been invented when the celebrated battle took place, and "No Surrender" consequently bases his argument upon a statement which is untrue. "No Surrender" suggests that a poor German in the same predicament would be promptly interned at Somes Island, but is that so? If the poor German sailor were a man of known probity and willing to give his parole he would be allowed his freedom, and the Dominion would be saved the cost of his keep. There are at the present time many Germans and Austrians on parole .«7rom the moral point of view, we are a Christian nation, and the injunction of the Great Teacher was, "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them," but if we are materialistic rather than scriptural in our ethics, we should listen to the direction of that greatest of mundane teachers, Confucius, who said, " Surely the maxim of charity is such : Do not do unto others that which you would not they should do unto you."— I am, etc., 8.8. 25 th June. The postal authorities advise that the R.M.S. Niagara, which sailed from Suva for Auckland on the 25th inst., is bringing mails from America and the United Kingdom via Vancouver. The Wellington portion is due per Main Trunk express on Tuesday morning next. Owing to the frequent change of hospital address of wounded soldiers, the Postmaster-General notifies that all cable messages should be addressed to the care of the Officer Commanding New Zealand Advanced Base, Alexandria, who will direct to correct address. To reduce the cost, the code indicator " Basenz " should be used instead of indicator of regiment or unit. Four words in the address should be sufficient. Example : "11/549 Rankin, Basettz, Alexandria." The flags decorating the Town Hall on the occasion of the graduation ceremony last evening were provided by Messrs. R. G. Knight and Co Mr. E. Dimant, of Melbourne, will address the men's meeting at the V.M.C.A. to-morrow afternoon at 4 o'clock. Messrs. T. Seddon and Downie Stewart, members of Parliament, will be the chief guests at the New Zealand Club luncheon on Monday. The annual meeting of the Johnsonville Horticultural and Industrial Society will bo held on Monday evening.