In 1940, after Italy had entered the Second World War on the side of Germany, the New Zealand government began to arrest Italian residents on suspicion of being fascists or fascist sympathisers. However, while some had shown support for Mussolini’s regime in Italy, there is no evidence of disloyalty. Many who were arrested were naturalised New Zealanders who supported the Allies. In a climate of fear, a total of 38 Italians were imprisoned on Somes Island in Wellington Harbour, along with Germans and Japanese. Paolo Casa of Nelson, who was in charge of the Italian barracks, wrote this letter to the commandant of Somes Island reporting the difficult conditions his fellow prisoners were experiencing.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Alexander Turnbull Library, Serials Collection
Reference: MS-Papers-7666-1-01
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