INTERROGATION OF NURSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23204, 31 May 1937, Page 6

INTERROGATION OF NURSES

REASON FOR ACTION FASSPORT ENDORSEMENT REQUIRED INSTRUCTIONS FROM DOMINIONS OFFICE (Special ro Daily Times) WELLINGTON, May 30. What led to the interrogation by the police of the three New Zealand nurses who desired passports to proceed to Spain for'nursing service, was explained by the Minister of Interna] Affairs (Mr W. E Parry) in an interview at the week-end It was in consequence of a despatch received from the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs (Mr Malcolm MacDonald) that action was taken, which was considered entirely in the interests of the nurses themselves. "Three young women were granted in the ordinary way. passports to travel to Spain," Mr Parry said, "and then came the despatch from the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, about passport facilities to persons desiring to travel to Spain, or the Spanish zone of Morocco. It stated-that as a result of the recent extension of the international agreement regarding nonintervention, in Spain to cover the despatch of volunteers to Spain, it had been decided that passports should'not be issued to British subjects for Spain or to the Spanish zone of Morocco, unless such persons fell within the following categories:—

(a) Persons able to show that ' they have urgent business reasons for visiting Spain or Spanish / Morocco, and persons returning to Spain or Spanish Morocco to resume employment there, together with members .of their families. (b) Journalists representing reputable papers.; '■■•>. (c) Persons travelling under the auspices of the following humanitarian organisations:—The General Relief Fund for Distressed Women and Children in Spain; the National Joint Committee for Spanish Relief; the British Red Cross; the International Red Cross; the Save the Children Fund; the Society of Friends; and the Spanish Medical Aid Committee.

The Minister said that a Foreign Office circular, with the despatch, added that applicants would be required to satisfy the passport authorities as far as possible, that they came within one of the mentioned categories, and had no intention of enlisting v/ith the Spanish forces. All other applications for passport facilities should be either refused or referred to the Foreign Office for instructions. If the applicant was in a position to satisfy the conditions required, it was stated, the passports should be endorsed: "Valid for single journey to Spain (or Spanish zone of Morocco)," and the purpose of the journey added. It was requested that all British subjects to whom that special endorsement was issued should be warned that they travelled at their own risk, and that his Majestv's Government could not take any responsibility for their protection or for their evacuation in case of need. Arrangements had been made by the Great Powers who were parties to the non-inter-vention agreement that British-sub-jects whose passports did not bear the special endorsement mentioned would not be permitted to leave the territories of those Powers for the purpose of entering Spain or the Spanish zone of Morocco.

On Monday, May 17, Mr Parry said, it was gleaned by the Department of Internal Affairs from the newspapers that three nurses were in ; Auckland and were leaving by the Awatea on the following Wednesday. As time was short, and as it was essential that they should be notified before their departure that the passports in their possession were not valid for Spain, the department sent a communication to the superintendent of police in Auckland requesting that they should be interviewed, and that they should state to which, if any, of the approved organisations they were proceeding. It was requested that they should be instructed to present their passports for appropriate endorsement at the Passport Office, Auckland. At the same time, it was asked that the nurses should be warned that they were travelling at their own risk and that his Majesty's Government could not be responsible for their protection.. Subsequently, Mr Parry said, certificates were furnished to the effect that they were joining the Spanish Medical Aid. Their passports were thereupon endorsed as follows: "Valid for single journey to Spain, under the auspices of the Spanish Medical Aid Committee." The Minister added that the action taken by the Department of Interna] Affairs was entirely*in the interests of the nurses themselves, as there was every probability of their being turned back on arrival at their intended destination. Their passports were not valid for Spain, and from information in the possession of the Government it was quite clear that they would not be permitted to leave any territory of the Great Powers concerned in order to enable them to tranship for Spain.