Stowed Away To Reach Sick Wife

Chronicle (Levin), 3 August 1949, Page 6

Stowed Away To Reach Sick Wife

Press AsscunationJ

(Pp.r

WELLINGTON, August 2. There were three "docks" in the story of Sergeant H. Williamsbn, of Ngaruawahia Military Camp, who returned to New Zealand in the Rangitihi with his wife today. At one time he stowed away in New Zealand to get to England to see his sick wife; in tle, second — at West Hani Police Court, London — he had the unusual experience of hearing his prosecutor defeiul him; at the third he sailed as a pasenger for New Zealand again with his wife, by then recovered. Sergeant Williamson, who enlisted in the New Zealand Army after 12 years with the British Army, arrived in Ncw Zealand in March. On Easter Monday he received a message that his wife was seriously ill in Liverpool. The military authorities immediately . ga\'e him six months ' leave without pay and permis siou to travel to Britain. Unsuccessiul in his efforts either to pay or work his passage, Sergeant Williamson stowed away in the Australia Star at Auckland the following Friday. He was' discovered on the first day out. After working as a deckhand for the trip, he was charged as a stowaway on arrivai in England. Remarking that it was the first ti me in 30 years on the) Bench that he h ui heard proseeuting counsel defending an accused, the Magistrate dismissed the charge under the Probation of Olfend ers; Aet. The New Zealand Army authorities in Britain arranged the return passages for him and his wife who was in good health again and they were on their way back to New Zealand about a month after Williamson arrived.