NEW ZEALAND & THE WAR.

Mataura Ensign, 15 February 1916, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND & THE WAR.

DETECTING ENEMY TRADING. V THE GOV KB NM K.NT ALERT. UNITKD PRKdS ASSOCIATION WELLINGTON. Keh. 14. '’l. am satisfied that every care is Ittke,n to detect enemy trading," said llie Attorney-General (Hon, A. K. Hardman) to-night, n the course of a statement with regard to the allegation that enemy trade with New Zealand is still proceeding in spile of the Acts and Orders-in-Couneil. The .Minister, added that the powers at the d -- posa! of the Government appeared to he ample and the pro; notions tah.fi to l*e f adt (plate. Ho /proceeded to snrvev the.. existing legislation on the suDjoct mid to trace the steps that had been taken by the New Zetland Government. “When war broke out between Gre > t Britain and Germany, trailing with tin' •enemy, was not an cfl'ene-- in New Zealand.'’ be sit'd, "The Criminal Code Act passed in ISik'L now tho Cr fines Act of IPIIS. had in elferl abolished common law cll'cnees. so on Angus l -I. IPll. we had no power to interfere "ith persons who traded with llie enemy. It Hterofore became nece-sirv to deV : so legislation whiclt would enable the State to pnt a stop to any attempt at commercial intercourse with p rs. ti- residing in an eitemv country, and wo passed- a law founded upon proclamations relating to trad ng wi hj tho euemv issued by the Ivng after iho outbreak of war. 'The Trading W.th The Enemy Act, P.d 1. makes trading Xit.lt the enemy as de>ei fibed in the .King’s preeli mat ion of September !•, PJI4, and in other proclamations in subMitniion ihorool or in anieiidmeiU or extension .liu-reaf afi olL'iiee liable to imprisonment lor live years or to a lino not oxeeeding XIIOUO or boib. To such >. imprisonment and such line a body e >r"porate is battle on indictment io a lino not exceeding .i'oOOU.’’ Air Henlman explained the provis ons of the New Ze.dand Act- and pro. lamatkms. Ho stated: "In the e.i'e of goods coining to New Zealand from (.deal Brituin or from any other Br ti hj possession we have reason to know that | 1h0 ; Hoard of Trade and British Customs I officers in other parts of the world are| eoustV'iuty on tile look-otu for illegal | tripling, and we are from time to nmo j notified by the imperial authors lie- of persons and firms in neutral (oniurii?** who are known to have enemy sympallres. and with whom this country G •warned not to have dealings. Since tho j outbreak of the wir 22(1 cier's ol >us-j picious trading have hj en investigated. J In. 11 net's warrants were Gstie.l an- : Thorising iti'poetion or seizure of the i books under section G of the Trading With the Enemy Act. 11*1-1. Proceed- I tugs wen> insiinued against two per-’ twins and eonvietions were obtained in both eases. I "I have been informed by the defence ■authorities that ffod enemy subjects have been interned in New Zealand since the commennemeni of hostilities, 2S(> persons are stiil prisoners of war. 47 persons have been released on parole, and 41 persons are at pre-ent-on parole. "Kneniy subjects have been removed from the public service and e |l „s ol ,‘ki alleged enemy subjects bate een investigated by the Alien Board since the tune it was created. ’TjJisllv, the police have received clear and preei-e instruct on- to watch enemy subjects closely, and to report imirotiiately should anything suspieonoomo to their knowledge about tho business or habits of enemy subjects. Kroni inquiries made by me on all sides 1 am satisfied that < very care is tak< n to delect enemy trading and tint w have ample power to deal with the olfeive as U is defined by tbe Imperial 4 Government, and Hen little ii any tnisiness wliieh is iilega, escape- Doe watchful eye of the New Zealand (us-' iomhouse officers and the censor. II existing machinery is instil fieient. it can lie added to and improved very easily, and that will most eerta nly be done it the Government Ins the least cause to j fcuspeet that the enemy is getting any advantage, and if a«v intimation G given to us hy the Imperial Govern-; nteut that any ex toil'ion of our presen: law would bo of advantage to thej Empire.''’ | FEATHERSTON CAMP. j Til K RECENT SICKNESS. j WELLLINGTON, Feh. 14. Spey king to-dav ot the sikness among soldiers at I'eathersron Camp, Snr-: aeon-Gonoral Henderson said that dmmg the last two days, with the advent weather, there had been a i falling-olf in the number Of cases reporting sick. As ho said before, there was not the slightest cause for alarm, and what had happened since had confirmed that .statement. 'I he eases so far had all been slight, the pep. outages were small and were now dimitutshuig. Surgeon-General Henderson added that there "as no overcrowding in Fea-fher.-tou (’amp. A pipe water supply was now being laid on Hie canvas portion of the camp, and the Hy post , was "heiug rapidly coped with. THE NEW RECRUITING SCHEME. BADGES BEADY EUR ISSUE. WELLINGTON. Feb. 14. Alphabetical lists of tbe men of military age tor nearly a!.'; the recruiting divtricts of the South Island have now been issued, end tin- remaining om\will be sent out within the next (layer two. The secretary of the Recruiting Board ""ill make a .stsirt Aviili the despatch ot the North Island i(U..s tomorrow. and he expects to have the work finished by the end'of the week. The badges e.lvoiit to bo issued by the Recruiting Board "fill be ready this' week. They will be issued in The ordinary course to men who may register ■(■liemseives. who secure exemption, or tvlui return from the front in- future, but Hie men whose r gi oattdhbr (sf but the men whose right to badges lia.s been aeouired in the past will have to make application. Returned soldiers will apply to the Base Tvceords Office, Brandon Street, Wellington. Registered. men. those who have been rejected cm medical grounds, and men who have been granted exemption should apply to tbe group officer in their mihtarv du-triet. Tlte. Becruiting Board draws attention to the following letter addressed hy direction of the King to Lord Derbv at the close of the great recruiting campaign in tbe United Kingdom: My Dear Derby.—Now tbe work n connection with the King's appeal for recruits is over, bis Majesty hopes that, •'very man who is entitled to wear an armlet will do -o. as proof to his fellowcon utr vine n of his response to the call. 'Hie armlets issued in the Mother Country to men who have offered to tverve are .similar to the New Zealand badges.