MILITARY SHIRKERS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2150, 16 May 1914, Page 5

MILITARY SHIRKERS.

THEIR FARE IN DETENTION. (By Telegraph,—Prosa Association.) Auckland, May 15. About a fortnight ago two young men were fined £5 each, and costs, at tho Onehunga Magistrate's Court for failing to attend military drill, with tho alternative of 28 days in military detention at the barracks at Devonport. Both young men refused to pay the fine, and, yesterday morning, presented themselves at the police station, and asked to be arrested. One of them said that ho was out of work, and the other intimated that ho had left his employment rather than havo his wages ' attached.

Itecently a young man returned from the marine suburb, and gave a glowing account of the treatment meted out to military prisoners. According to his statement detention was purely a holiday. Tho menu, ho said, consisted of ham and eggs for breakfast, with the best cuts or roast beef for dinner. As for tho work it was merely child's play. Now it seoms that all persistent shirkors have decided to become the guests of tho Government at Devonpoft. An emphatic denial that military prisoners had anything but an unpleasant time was given this morning by Captain Kewish, who stated that the assertion that convicted men preferred to go to gaol at Devonport rather than pay their fino was all humbug. "Our prisoners," ho stated, "are treated in almost tho same way as are convicts in gaols. Thoy undergo hard labour, and arc compelled to do ordinary drills. As far as- food is concerned the daily allowanco amounts to 25., and it is not possible to live very high on that amount."