Treatment Of

Germans

in New Guinea and Samoa

IN the September issue of this journal and in early-printed sections of the present issue, it is indicated that the New Guinea Administration had taken few steps in relation to German subjects in that Territory, beyond compiling a register of them and placing upon them an obligation to report at frequent in tervals.

It is now indicated, however, that dur ing the past three or four weeks the Administration has made a very careful investigation of the Germans living in the Territory, and action has been taken accordingly. During the month, 27 Ger mans have been sent to Australia under escort —16 from the Lutheran Mission at Finschhafen, 2 from the Lutheran Mis sion at Madang, and 9 from the town of Rabaul, and one or two outstations.

It is interesting to note that none of the Germans from the Roman Catholic Mission stations have been sent away for internment —only the Lutherans. It had been reported on occasions during the last couple of years that a number of younger men, coming from Germany to the Lutheran Missions in New Guinea, appeared to be deeply tainted with Nazi ideas, and that their attitude toward the British at times had been aggres sive, if not offensive.

The New Guinea Administration also has made certain adjustments in regard to the employment of aliens —two or three aliens, mostly females, had been employed in minor positions in Rabaul — and it is possible that two or three more Germans may be sent to Australia for internment, later.

Mr. Furter and Mr. Paatsch two well-known and respected German mer chants in Rabaul—have been permitted to carry on in their respective businesses.