IN GERMAN HANDS

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 87, 11 October 1915, Page 5

IN GERMAN HANDS

THE ADVENTURES OF A NEW ZEALAND PARTY. Mr. John Clegg, of Dunedin, gave a lecture in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Saturday night, and prefaced it with the remark that he was no orajbor. In the lack of platform graces and of a practised delivery, he proved his words true; but he showed himself a capital lecturer, and one •whose efforts had. a distinctly successful financial result. Mr. Clegg had some stirring adventures in escaping from the theatre of war and the clutches of the Germans, and he has lately delivered a number of lectures -which have produced already about £580 for various patriotic funds. Saturday's resulted in £44 6s 6d for the Mayor's Patriotic Fund, over and above the small incidental expenses. The story Mr. Clegg told is too long and too full of incident to be done justice in a summary. He was in England at the end of July, 1914, with two Dunedin young ladies, who were travelling under his paternal care. He decided to' come to New Zealand as fast as he could, but reached Paris during the height of the mobilisation, and was "caught" by the declaration of war. France, and especially the railway system of France, was in a turmoil, and the party had to "steal" a ride on a troop-train to the south of France. Between London, and Nice their meals consisted of snacks of bread and fruit, and the journey was highly uncomfortable. After many difficulties they went through Genoa to Barcelona, in Spain, and took passage in a crowded steamer for Rio de Janeiro. From that port they essayed to reach New York in the steamer Indian Prince. Somewhere off Pernambuco she was picked up by the famous German auxiliary cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm, and was captured. Some days later the passengers (two German-Americans and Mr. Clegg's party) were taken off, and the Indian Prince was sunk. After a long sojourn on the big German ship, she met two German merchantmen, which brought her a large quantity of coal, and to one of them the little party was transferred to be landed. Five weeks after leaving Rio, they were brought back again, to the great astonishment of the people who had seen them leaving. By a strange chance, the German steamer passed into Rio within three miles of the British, cruiser Cornwall, which was leaving, but which did not see her on. account of a heavy fog. The party shortly afterwards secured a passage for New York, and reached that city safely, the only warship sighted being the Cornwall, which was met near Pernambuco. Every day, every hour, of this adventurous journey had its predicament and its anxiety, but Mr. Clegg told his story with a wealth of humour which made his experiences seem from beginning to end a joyous pilgrimage. Even the hardships of the troop-train journey in France were the occasion of happy remembrance. As for the stay on the Kronprinz, Mr. Clegg said the party were treated with the utmost kindness and courtesy. Everyone on board behaved in the most gentlemanly way, and they lived in luxury, even to the extent of receiving strawberry ice and caviai-e, though the caviare was even less pleasant than the sauerkraut served for supper. The lecture was illustrated with a large number of lantern slides, some of them taken by one of the ladies of the party; and the pictures enabled the lecturer to swing away from his main subject on to themes of patriotic principles, which met with a warm reception. The whole entertainment was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience, and Mr. Clegg has every reason to be satisfied with the results of bis efforts, both as regards tW financial result and the pleasure he gives his hearers.