ALIENS' COMMISSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16301, 7 August 1916, Page 7

ALIENS' COMMISSION.

FINAL SITTING HELD.

POLICE OFFICIAL'S EVIDENCE

TOTAL OF 135 WITNESSES.

The members of the Aliens* Commission. Messrs. J. w Poynter, S.M., and G. JWliot, returned to Auckland from the North on Friday night and held the final sitting of the commission at the Magistrate's Court on Saturday morning, only one witness being examined.

Nicholas Kiely, superintendent of police at Auckland, stated that he had been in Auckland for the past three years and some years before that he " was also stationed here for some time. When he was first in Auckland there were few Dalmatians, but since he had held his present position he had seen many of them in town on holiday. He had noticed that they were well conducted, sober, and to all appearances prosperous. When he had visited the North he had always found them well behaved. The criminality of the class was remarkably low. He quoted figures in support of this statement. With regard to their'tour of the North the commissioners stated that they examined a number of witnesses, but none were in favour of interning the Dalmatians anywhere, either at Somes Island or I arengarenga. A letter had been quoted in the House of Representatives from a resident of Waiharara, which contained the following :—" Well, I can inform you that every Austrian in the district still possesses firearms and a good supply of ammunition- Quite recently I saw six of them, all in possession of Browning automatic shotguns." With regard to this letter, the commissioners stated that they saw a Waiharara resident who denied the statement that all Austnans wet£ armed. He stated that out of .63 Dalmatians in the district only three had shotguns and none had revolvers or ammunition. Many of those who signed the petition urging that the Dalmatians were a menace were examined, and all they wanted was for the gumnelds to be reserved for.the British. Dealing with the allegation that a Dalmatian had used offensive language to a lady who asked for a donation to the Patriotic Fund, the commissioners ascertained from the lady that she had asked for a shilling, but as the man had no money then he gave her 2s 6d the following "day. Sergeant Moore, of Whangarei, who 'has had 16 years' service in that town, stated that he had never had occasion to lay hands upon a Dalmatian.

Since the commission commenced its sittings no less than 135 witnesses have been examined. The commissioners will draft their report and forward it to the Government in due course.