THE SLAY QUESTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17068, 28 July 1917, Page 8

THE SLAY QUESTION

A FAR NORTH PROBLEM. (Feom Oue Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 27. "In tho far north there is a burning question," declared Mr Reed, in the House tliis evening. We have something like 2000 Dalmatians or Slavs up there. I don't eav these mon are disloyal, but tho whole trouble is that our British-born young men are being taken away monthly from the north for the Expeditionary Force, and these other men are left." Mr Reed stated that a solution of the difficulty was devised some time ago, but it was ill-advised, and was dropped. Provided the British Government did not object, these men. should be given tho opportunity of bcintr deported for a Slay regiment for service at Salonika. He believed that 90 per oent. of these Slavs would willingly apply to join the Serbian airmy.

The Prime Minister: "The whole lot havo applied for service with the British army." Mr Reed said that while he believed these men -were loyal, he would be sorry to give his word absolutely that they were so, because all aliens were professedly loyal at the present time. He quite agreed that it would be injudicious to put them in the British army. If it wero impossible to put them into tho British or Serbian arrmes, they should bo put on to essential work, and he asked 1 tho Government to do this. Most of thenj, he felt sure, would welcome this.

The Prime Minister: "You would take them away, from gum digging?" Mr Reed: Yes. They are mostly engaged in labouring work at 15s a day. . Mr Young: Sixteen shillings to £1 a day m tho Waikato.