SOUTH AFRICAN VISITOR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 99, 27 March 1939, Page 6

SOUTH AFRICAN VISITOR.

REFUSED TO' MEET FUEHRER. VIEWS ON NAZISM. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, March 26. A few weeks ago a pilot in the South African Air Force, to-day a pantryboy in the Dominion Monarch, Squad-ron-Leader C. Massey, of Johannesburg, claims to be one of the few men who have declined an interview with Herr Hitler since he became dictator. A blond, lanky young man in a white tunic, found at work in the lounge-deck pantry of the liner when she arrived at Wellington on Saturday, he said that he had shipped in his present occupation in order to see the world. He was by birth a South African After being educated at the Witwatersrand University, he entered the South African Air Force more than six years ago. Last year, with a number of other pilots, he was sent three times to Europe to fly out a number of German bombers purchased for the African Air Force, lie said. Dlost of his companions were Africanders, of Dutch descent, and with strong Nazi prejudices. In Germany they were given a great reception, and even accorded the honour of an interview with the Fuehrer himself. This, however, he and another pilot refused, both being opposed to the principles of tlie Nazi regime. ‘‘l’ve got no tune for Hitler or his Nazis,” declared Jlr Massey. “1 had no wish to meet linn. Apart from the flying experience, 1 wasn’t a bit interested m taking tile German ’planes to South Africa.” NAZISM IN AFRICA. Mr Massey said that the Boer population of South Africa was still preponderantly anti-British, and throughout the Union it was extremely dillicult for a Briton to prosper. The Boers would do nothing for any Briton, and would as lar as possible oppose him in every way, commercially or otherwise. They would not even honour the British flag or the British National Anthem. Among them German Nazi agents were active at present. There was a strong Nazi organisation throughout the Union. They hold meetings openly, and wore the Nazi uniform. He had himself been present, at a Nazi meeting attended by 16.000 uniformed brown-shirts. This was the significance of recent cabled reports that transport and other public services -were at present being guarded by the military. On the other hand, said Dtr Dfassey, Rhodesia was entirely British, and intensely loyal. At the time of the European crisis last year, almost every male person of reasonable age in the whole of Rhodesia enlisted, many telegraphing in their offer to serve from distant up-country post offices. Rhodesia was prepared to fight the rest of Africa, if need be, with the assistance of Kenya and the othtu wholly British portions of East Africa. The Rhodesian Air Force was tremendously developed; it had sufficient ’planes to protect a population of 10 million, instead of the small number of inhabitants actually there. It was the strongest air force in Africa and would have no difficulty in looking after the South African force in the event of trouble.

“I do not think any British person has the least doubt that there will be trouble in the Union before very long,” Mr Masey said. “I think there will be another rebellion there, sooner than many people imagined^ Mr Massey said that he was anxious to take up commercial flying, and hoped it would bo possible to find a billet in New Zealand or Australia, . where lie understood there were considerable developments in air transport taking place. He had spent years flying in the Union Air Force, and had resigned from it in order to see something of other parts of the world.