JUMPED FROM TRAIN TO SEE GIRL FRIEND

Chronicle (Levin), 9 July 1946, Page 5

JUMPED FROM TRAIN TO SEE GIRL FRIEND

-Press Association '

ESCAPE OF PRISONER | I

Bv Telearavh-

AUCKLAND, July 8. 1 "I was quite prepared to take what sentence was coniing to me and it was ; not to avoid sentence that L escaped. I only. wanted to see my Alaori girl friend. " These were the concluding lines of a statement by Ilarry Alartin, aged 24, a half-easte Maori, who appeared before Air. F. H. Levien, 8.AI., I eharged with eseaping from lawful I custodv. Accused leaped from a train in the vicinity of Orakei railwav station while being brought under escort from Rotorua' to Auckland on June 28. Alartin was also eharged with the unlawful conversion of a ear which he ■ admitted using to get him to Putaruru where his "girl friend" lived. He had pleaded guilty to a breaking and entering cltarge at Rotorua and was corumitted for trial in the Supreme Court at , Auckland. Alartin said that when he left Rotorua he had no intention of eseaping. He had arranged for his mother aml girl friend to meet him at Putaruru when the train passed through but they were not there as arranged and he got very upset. "We had just passed! through Papakura \vhen I deeided to jutnp ofl: the traiil," he said. " Lnstead of going to the convenience I wc-ut to the eixd of the carriage and'jumped oft'.-' I rolled over several times and injured my right ankle, both haxxds and lel't side and was rendered unconscious but I don't know for lxow long. " Alartixx described how, when he came to, he hid in some flax buslxes xxntil dark and later stole a car from a private garage and drove to within three miles of Tirau where his petrol rau out. He tlien took another car at Tirau and drove to tlie Alaori Pa at Putaruru. After he had seen his father leave he went to his lxome and ])romised his mother he would give liimself up if he could see his girl friend. While the girl was being brought he hid in nearby scrub. He went home again after' the girl arrived and when the police appeared he was taken into custodv. Martin pleaded guiltv to botli ' charges and was eommitted' for sentence. /