BACK FROM GERMANY

Otago Witness, Issue 3277, 3 January 1917, Page 57

BACK FROM GERMANY

INTERNED NEW ZEALANDER. A former resident of Wanganui, Mr Charles J. King, who has boon a prisoner in Germany sine, l the war broke out, having been interned on the morning England declared war, is now back in England. In a letter to a friend lie states: '"The feeling against us was very strong, and the hatred against us was, and still is. tremendous. They are the worst people on earth, and it is hard for one who has not lived amongst them to realise how they feel towards us. and what they would be capable of doing with us. If ever they came out on ton I can assure you that they would not stop at anything short of absolute annihilation of the British nation. They will tell you this quite openly, and there is no doubt whatever that they mean to do it if they ean. " Racing was booming in Germany, and would have been better etill only for the war. Stakes were very good, and all jockeys were getting big retainers, and out of half a dozen horsemen that I knew not one was getting less than £2OOO a year, and with two or three years' engagement at that. In addition there were, of course, riding fees and percentage, but the war upset all this, and as soon as it broke out the Germans tore up all their contracts, and in most cases would not even pay men what they had already earned. There was a surprising number o! Australians and Xew Zealandcrs in r!nprison ramp, considering how far away \v< live. There were about 60 Australians and a dozen New Zealandcrs. mosl of the latter being men who had left Now Zealand years ago, and one ov two who had come to study music, etc. The Australians were mostly students."