FROM GERMAN PRISONS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 14199, 26 August 1919, Page 5

FROM GERMAN PRISONS.

men of the waieuna. AEEIVAL IN AUCKLAND. After an absence of over two years from New Zealand, -Captain Saunders, master of the Wairuna, which was destroyed by the raider Wolf, the chief engineer, Mr G. McCaughey, and 12 members of the crew reached Auckland by the new Wairuna from San Francisco. They are all employed on the vessel in their original ratings. spent 19 months in captivity, 9 months on board the raider and 10 i» a prison camp in Drmng their stay on board the raider they were treated as well as could be expected owing to the large number receiving food equal to that given to the crew of the vessel. They captured on June 2, 1917, and the Wolf did not anchor at Kiel until the following February. By that time the prisoners numbered 500, all havißg been taken from captured vessels. After landing at four o 'clock on a bitterly cold morning they received a taste of Pnisslanism. While waiting to entrain they were ridiculed by the German civilians, who spat at them They spent 13 hours in the train, and then had to walk four miles to the camp. The stations cn route were guarded bywomen in semi-male attire. At each station the prisoners held out emptycans and pointed to the water taps, but the women only spat at them and turned awav. On arrival at the camp the prisoners were given a meal by the Ecd Cross people from food supplied ,bv the Allies. They stayed in camp 14 i days and then were drafted out i» squads of 20 to work on the railways, i repairing the lines. Their food oonI sisted mostly of dried swede turnips, I one small loaf every three days, and a soup mixture. They were allowed a pay equal to sixpence a day to buy tobacco or anything they could get jfhr the price. Some weeks after parcels of fond arrived from England and the prisoners fared better. Captain Saumdors and the chief engineer and other officers were interned at Carlsgmhe camp in Southern Germany, but they did not have to work, and were given a larger allowance.