POLICY CONCERNING ALIENS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 9 December 1940, Page 4

POLICY CONCERNING ALIENS

OUTLINE BY MINISTER [United Press Association] AUCKLAND, 7th December. Interviewed on the subject of the Government’s policy concerning enemy aliens, the Attorney-General, Mr Mason, said the policy was to intern all those concerning whom there would be any risk if they were at liberty. Those interned were naturally of varying types. Comparatively few of them would combine enmity with the ability, courage and the willpower to procure any act of mischief, but there were others of less definite character who might be mischievous under the control or inspiration of bolder spirits. The last-mentioned were interned. If, however, it was clear that a person technically of enemy nationality or origin would not be a danger he was not interned. “To intern such persons indiscriminately would not serve a useful purpose,” he concluded. “It would in some instances be detrimental to our natinal economy or war effort and would be importing a gratuitous element of inhumanity,” Referring to a suggestion that a more rigorous policy would be in closer accord with what had been done in Great Britain, the Minister said that several cables which had appeared in newspapers recently contradicted the suggestion. They showed, on the* contrary, that in Great Britain, a country in the very centre of the struggle, thousands of aliens had been released.” The Minister discounted any suggestion that aliens in New Zealand could be of any help to raiding vessels.