Reich Envoy Upbraided By Pole

Northern Advocate, 12 July 1939, Page 7

Reich Envoy Upbraided By Pole

(Received noon.)

SYDNEY, This Day

The consul-general for Poland, M. L. de Noskowski, referring to the secretary of the German consulate in Melbourne, Herr W. Biasing’s statement, in which he said that in respect to Danzig, Britain was putting her finger in a pie which did not concern her, said: “It is astounding that a German consular officer stationed in Australia should have the effrontery to criticise Britain.

“I am afraid that Danzig concerns Britain very much in spite of Herr Biasing’s displeasure.” It was stated from Canberra that people in Australia who were known to be interested in Nazi organisations were kept under official, surveillance, but Commonwealth investigations revealed that Nazis in Australia were not attempting to influence Australians. Official Reprimand. Herr Biasing’s statement brought a sharp rebuke today from Sir Henry Gullett, Minister of External Affairs, who summoned the acting-German Consul, Dr. Segar, to his office in Canberra, and told him it was quite beyond the function of any consular service in Australia to engage in propaganda against the United Kingdom. Such a course could lead only to difficulty.

Sir Henry Gullett said he completely subscribed to Britain’s peace policy, and peace had not yet been broken between the United Kingdom and Germany. He added that the Commonwealth Government desired that the relationship between Australia and Germany should continue upon the friendliest basis.

A message from London says that the official report on civil aviation in 1938 says registered aircraft throughout the Empire rose from 3197 to 3260, commercial pilots from 1955 to 2200, private pilots from 7552 to 8700, ari(J ground engineers frpm 2961 to 3500.