TREATMENT OF ALIENS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 60, 2 August 1918, Page 4

TREATMENT OF ALIENS.

P*, STATEMENT BY THE ACTINGPREMIER.

Sir James Allen (Acting-Prime Minister and Minister for Defence), asked by a “Times” representative the other day whether he had anything to. say on the aliens question, in view of the resolutions passed by the' Wellington City Council and other local bodies throughout the Dominion, said: “First of all, I want to make it clear that there is a distinction between an alien and an alien enemy. The first is a citizen of a State With which we are not at war, but the second is a citizen of a State with which we are at war. I believe there is a good deal of confusion in the public mind on the point. In respect to alien enemies, we are adopting very much the practice which has been adopted at Home. “In fact, we have gone rather -further, because we have issued those regulations under which we can put alien enemies to work, or, if they don’t accept that, intern them. But we have interned, and in this we have followed the British practice, all those who are in any way considered disloyal or dangerous; and the best service that the people can render, who are talking so much about alien enemies, would be to inform us if they know of their own knowledge of any who are disloyal or dangerous. Then we can make i full inquiries, and, if their opinion is a correct one, we will intern them. That would be rendering some real service. And then I venture to suggest that the proposition to intern everyone who is born of alien enemy parents would create grave injustices. “I know of a case in which three sons of a German father went to the front, were in the battle of Messines, and, I think, were about the first over the trenches. Two of them were killed and one wounded on the very same day. These boys have a brother in the Public Service. According to some of the resolutions passed, the Government would have to take him out of the Public Service and intern him; but I am not prepared to_ endorse such a policy.” The Minister also mentioned a striking case that occurred at Gallipoli. All the officers of a certain unit were killed, and the sergeantmajor said that he did not feel competent to “carry on” in the very difficult circumstances, and suggested that the ;men should choose a man to act as their temporary officer. They adopted his suggestion; and chose , the son of an alien enemy. This young fellow, without calling for volunteers jto assist him, went out alone, got in touch with the other bodies of our troops, brought up reinforcements, and extricated his unit from their trying position. Later the men were called upon to elect a permanent officer, and they elected the man who had thus signally proved his metal. “The fact is,” added Sir James Allen, “that we have to discriminate ; and, if the public will help us to discriminate, they will render good service. “.Another point is this, they talk about putting these enemy aliens to work. But there is some difference between soldier, or combatant, prisoners of war and civilian, or non-combatant, prisoners of war. We have power to put combatant prisoners of war to work, but no power to put civilian prisoners of war to work, except to light fatigues about camp; and if they were put to work at these light fatigues, we should have to pay them. We would not object to that, but their own Government—the German Government—have sentinstruetions out to them not to work. We have very few combatant prisoners of war in New Zealand—practically only the Seaddler’s men. There are only about fourteen of them. To go and put them to Government work would mean a guard, and the guard would cost more than the labour we should get out of the men would be worth.

r “Of course, we have always to remember that the other side can retaliate, and will do so, if we do anything foolish; and their retaliation is not only against us, but against our Allies, and also against other British prisoners of war. In any case, the War Office has the determining voice in these matters. New Zealand cannot determine international questions like this. If we attempted to do so, great difficulties would result. So far as is practicable, New Zealand is absolutely following the example of Great Britain in regard to enemy aliens. If anything, as I have stated, we have gone further than the British regulations, but only so far as to give the enemy aliens the option of work or internment.’ 1