GERMAN JEWESS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21818, 22 November 1940, Page 3

GERMAN JEWESS

REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE ALTERED By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, November 20. Charged with a breach of the Alien Control Emergency Regulations, 1940, a German Jewess, Use Katzenstein, aged 26, appeared on summons in the Magistrate’s Court, charged that on July 20 last she altered a certificate of registration by crossing out the word “German” and inserting the word “None” in the space provided for nationality. „ x The police said that Miss Katzenstein was a native of Germany. She registered on September 5. On July 20 she notified a change of address at the Ponsonby Post Office. When interviewed, the defendant admitted making the alternations, which she considered she was entitled to do because she was stateless. Counsel for the defence, Mr John Terry, said that for the last six years the defendant had suffered the persecution of Nazi oppression. She and her parents—full-blooded Jews —were forced to leave Germany. In Holland she rejoined her father. They met an Auckland business man, who arranged for her to come to New Zealand. She had taught here in private and Government schools, and was now engaged in the clothing business, and had won the goodwill and high regard of everybody with whom she came into contact. She was also an active member of the Women’s National Service Corps, and was 100 per cent loyal to the country of her adoption. Mr Terry suggested that the alteration made was not an alteration within the meaning of the regulations. He raised a legal point that the defendant could not be charged with an offence allegedly committed in July under regulations introduced in October. The regulations were not retrospective. Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., reserved his decision on the legal point. He said that if he did come to the conclusion that an offence had been committed, he would hold that it was merely a technical breach, not calling for a fine, but given as a warning that it was wrong to tamper with a document.