SOUTH AFRICA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16799, 1 April 1919, Page 4

SOUTH AFRICA.

, DEPATRIATION OF ALIENS. DEBATE IN*THE ASSEMBLY. . Australian and N.Z.' Cable Aasii. CAPETOWN, March 28. In the Assembly, the Minister of the Interior,' in moving the second reading of the Enemy Repatriation and Denaturahsation Bill, said* that there were 2358 enemy subjects and 17 naturalised persons under detention." There "were 584 who voluntarily desired repatriation, making a total, with their families, of 1204, also 444 who' had not acquired domicile, and about 150 who displayed such' hostility as to be a danger to the peace of the Union. The Bill did not interfere with enemy subjects who were never interned, or had been released before a given date. The Minister emphasised the point that the Bill was the outcome of the German atrocities, and declared that it would be a great injustice to turn all Germans out of South Africa in view of the encouragement: given in ..jqarlier years for settlement by Germans, many of., whose dtseendants' had given their lives' side by side-jwith' the Allies. The Government declined to-give ,'way to English clamour for aIL Germans to be repatriated, and was equally opposed to the' Dutch demand not to legislate against them. The question of the entry of German or other enemy subjects jnto South Africa could not be dealt with till peace was signed. , I The Nationalists strongly opposed the Bill on the grounds that it was unnecessary and likely to cause trouble. The Hon J. A. X. Merriman declared that the Bill was one of safety. The sole object of Germany' during the next decade would be revenge by inciting every part of the British and French Empires and America to revolt. No' opportunity should, be given Germany for hostile penetration in South Africa. I The debate was adjourned.