INTERNED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16664, 8 April 1916, Page 3

INTERNED.

ON SOMES ISLAND

HOW THE PAYS PASS THERE.

DETAILS OF THE LIFE

Specially written for the Otago Daily Times.

By L. «. Fanning.

The Quarantine Station, Somes Island, Wellington, where Germans are interned, is not cxactly in tho middle of the harbour, but it is commonly believed to be about half-way across. The two men. who swam to Petono last year took the shortest line to land—about two miles and a-half. This little island, 644 acres, is a miniature of many much more expansive parts of New Zealand; it is intersected by little valleys, and ■ it has a rugged, indented coast; it has some pines and macrocarpa near the buildings on tho top saddle, where singing birds, the blackbird and the thrush, can find nesting places, and of course the übiquitous sparrow is not scarce. The highest point is 247 ft above sea level, almost exactly a foot for each alien inhabitant (246). This number has grown gradually from 80 since August, 1914. There i& now very much less trouble with the 346 than there was with the original 80. In tho early days som© took a fancy to "playing up," but the fractious persons were soon convincod that this kind of conduct did not make for their own comfort. They are a quiet company to-day; the average in a special place of detention:, for the unruly does not one a day, and commonly the little "prison within a prison" is empty. By the edge of the sea, between ivory steep slopes, there is a narrow flat patch, on which breakers of the regulations— close prisoners—have their exercise. This place is known as "Kultirr Bay, and it is not liked- -A. little of this healthful "kultur" has proved a good eure_ for insubordination or other misbehaviour. The prisoners have their choice, of easy days (with the tonic of moderate appetising work) or rigorous discipline, and the general disposition now is to take the line of least resistance. VARIOUS TYPES. All kinds of Germans are among the 246 —swarthy men and fair, long and short, thick-set and slim; faces such as one sees in the photographs of Germans captured by the British and French on the western front are visible on Somes Island. The owners have mostly a wellnourished appearance, and if any man is comparatively lean his lack of the prevalent plumpness is not the fault of the diet, for the scale of rations is the same as for the soldiers in camp at Trentham and Featherston. The base of it is a pound and a-quarter of meat per man daily, with other good food in ample measure. The ages range from 18 years to 70 (a veteran of the Franco-Prussian war, 1870-71). This elderly man, _of , slight physique, has a surprising agility for his years. One of his latest feats was a dive from the wharf the other day, and a vigorous swim. Various trades and professions are represented, but the bulk of the men are manual workers (seamen, carpenters, and "handy men"). There' are three divisions. Thirteen prisoners from Samoa form one group; another section comprises a dozen known, jocularly, to other Germans as the "aristocratic democrats" or "democratic aristocrats"; the third class includes the 246 minus 25. The two small groups have " extras " at their own charge; each employs - a eook to prepare certain food supplementary to the regulation diet. Other prisoners are also able to buy little luxuries either at the small canteen on the island or by order from town, through the office. The cooking for the "main body" is done by two Germans with a " Roberts Cooker, which can cater for 250. The writer ■witnessed a distribution of the mid-day meal to the men who called at the kitchen for each mess (about 18). The 1 dishes were handed out in. about a minute, and. in another , minute or two the eating was in hearty progress. PASSING THE TIME. Interned men are obliged to do certain work for their own comfort. They have to keep their quarters tidy and to maintain a neatness and cleanliness about the buildings. These " fatigues " are arranged in rotation at the office, which does not recognise any class distinction in the allotment, ,but any man is allowed to pay another prisoner as substitute. Some of the interned, who have no fear of losing " caste " by handling a broom, a shovel, or a bucket," earn some shillings by taking a turn for "highness," which remains invisible in the background. Some time ago a bullock hauled stores on a quaint two-wheeled sledge up a steep path, but the animal's hoofs wore away so much that a spell was granted. The carrying is now done as a regular fatigue by the interned, in turn, and they have also been taking, up water, brought by steamer, for the rain tanks gave up their last drop in this dry season long weeks ago. Gangs of volunteers from the interned are making a Toad from the whaxf to the summit ridge, and the grade will be easy enough for a horse and cart. Thus the " fatigues " for the Germans will be reduced, and; the road will also be very useful to the Stock Department. This has no animals *in quarantine at present, but it has, 160 sheep grazing on the wellgrassed slopes and saddles and hollows. The island is a small State " run "; the sheep are marketed in the ordinary way. As payment is made for the roadworlc, the authorities have no difficulty in obtaining labour. It is not, of course, the full rate, as received by free men outside the . island, but it is enough to draw plenty of applicants, for they know that the whole of the earnings can be used as they wish; no deduction is made for the ordinary maintenance. This labour is therefore regarded as a kind of privilege, arranged: equitably when the supply of volunteers exceeds the need—the usual case. THE WHIRLIGIG OF TIME. Several of the road-workers are taking a pride in tanning their skins. They are stripped to the waist, and care not how hard the sun strikes at them; but they did a few weeks ago. They were " lilywhite " —a gnard said—and the fan ran riot over their bare backs and but they persevered. Thus it has cc/nc. to pass, that German prisoners, w£<o have browned themselves as Maori';, ,>naking a road 12,000 miles away froßMthcf " Fatherland," are cutting through fait of an old Maori stronghold on Somes Island. Tho ground plan of the pa can be easily traced out. Suppose that somebody in Germany had prophesied 100 years ago that subjects of a certain Kaiser would! be thus situated, far down in the Southern Hemisphere in 1916, a.p ? Would not the seer have been "strafed" as a madman? Apart from the rotation of compulsory fatigues and tho voluntary work, the interned are free to take their ease or to occupy themselves at hobbies. Some find a cosy place in the sun, and doze or read or dream. The writer ?aw one prone in the chequered shade of a pine. A stuffed sugar-bag, backed against a log, made a good support for the head, which was interested in an illustrated magazine. It so happens that this man was an I.W.W. member (the " Industrial Workers of the World"), and as the initials "1.W.W." have been occasionally regarded, with reason, as standing for " I won't work," the posture was peculiarly appropriate. The man was, however, within his rights in his restfulness. During the hot weather the great majority have enjoyed sea-bathing. .Another favourite diversion is fishing, from the little wharf'and from rocky points. The principal catch is mackerel and " spotty," varied by a conger eel now and then. The interned have infinite patiencc at this pastime. Occasionally good-conduct menthree or four at a time, in turn—are taken out in a boat with an equal .number of armed guards, and these parties usually manage to land some fish worthy of the pan or pot.

SIDE LINES. Numbers of tlio prisoners busy themselves at various handicrafts, either for tho work's sako, or pocket money, or both. One makes slippers, with tho Union Jack and tho New Zealand flag crossed on the uppers; others mako musical instruments, ornamental boxes, and lockers. The but-ter-box has many uses; it has risen to the dignity of a mandolin. A cigar-box (not disguisod) has helped to form a sort of fiddle (nicknamed a " cigarophone"), and a post, hollowed out, constitutes the main part of a " postophone," stringed, and played with a bow. These two weird instruments are used by ai» ex-showman, who has trained a clever little dog to do many tricks. Ono patient toiler has made excellent models of the hospital tliip Marama, the Hinemoa, and the HamburgAmerican liner Imperator (52,000 tons). He has also painted tho Kaiser, with a flourish of hich colours which should warm tho Hohenzollern heart, if the Kaiser's eyes ever light upon this gay romp of the brushes. One German runs poultry. He began with a dozen eggs, and now he has two dozen fowls. He also does some gardening, and with vegetables and eggs he draws in some money. Others, also, work at a vegetable patch, and at flower gardens. - Boxes and half-cases, holding flowers, mostly sweet peas and geraniums, _ are along* tho window-sills of the living rooms, after the manner of houses in German cities or parts of London. A little while ago those little window gardens were a bright flash of colour, and oven now they retain some of their summer glory. An upstairs room serves for concerts, in which hearty singing is the principal " turn." MISCELLANEOUS FACTS. Clergy of several denominations have visited the island on Sundays, but very few of the interned have shown any desire for their ( ministrations. No Lutheran pastor has been across. Sunday is a day of rest and reading and sleep, and lolling about. The health of the interned has been very good. Only one death has occurred —a case of heart disease. If a prisoner needs dental treatment, ot has urgent private business in the city, he is allowed to go escorted (in a manner which does not reveal to the public that a guard is watching a man). There is a dispensary at the island for minor troubles; other cases may go to town by the little steamer which calls once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Between whiles an emergency case may be rowed to Petowe (a pull of 25 minutes), or tho telephone may call a launch or tender from the city!. New Zealand and other newspapers and magazines, in English, may be read by tho interned. A censor at the Wellington Post Office acts in co-operation with Major Mathieson (officer oommanding on the island). German illustrated papers, of pre-war date, have been admitted. Pictures of the Kaiser and the foremost generals and admirals have been'cut out and pasted on the walls. Leading men of other nations, including Britain, are also visible. Some persons hold that the interned should not be allowed to display the Kaiser so much, but such a restriction would bo foolish. The instructions of the officer-in-charge are to anything obsbene, and though a picture of the Kaiser is regarded nowadays by some folk as a piece of obscenity, it is not yet on that basis, officially. Numbers of the interned are not known to one another by their surnames. A guard (mentioning a correct name) asks a prisoner whether he has seen that man. "No," is the reply, but it is "Yes" to "Have you seen Pommer Paul?" This is a name given by shipmates of a certain Paul, because he came from Pomerania. One intelligent young German is a kind of president of the prisoners. He receives the orders at the head office and explains them to the men; he also, handles the mail, and makes himself helpful in many ways to the others. Austria-Hungaryi, Bulgaria, and Turkey are represented among the interned, in small measure. GUARDS. At present the strength of the guard averages about 60. The morning parade is at 7.15, and by that time the prisoners are required to be up and washed. Gaps between the prisoners' quarters are spanned by barbed wire, and tie men have to be within this enclosure by 5 p.m. Thebuglo blast for "lights out" is at 9.30. The guards have tents in the shelter of pines. A site is being prepared for a hut 144 ft long. No men eligible for service overseas are retained on the island, except some stalwarts who may be needed for special duties, at short notice. • By day the interned are within view of sentries, and there is a watch at certain points by night.