RECRUITS FROM TAHITI

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2467, 21 May 1915, Page 7

RECRUITS FROM TAHITI

TWENTY-SEVEN ON THE MARAMA. From tie ends of tie eai'th tlmy come. A small company of twenty-sen-en Franco-Tahitian recruits, in charge of M. Martin, a warrant officer in the French Navy, arrived from Papeete by the Marama yesterday, en route to Marseilles and the front. Some twenty-one of these young men are halfcaste Tahitians. They are dressed in loose-fitting blue cloth Buits, entirely without military embellishment, and dark felt slouch hats. Consequent upon later instructions received there is how some doubt as to the future movements of these men, on which matter the local Consular representative for France (Mr. James Macintosh} is now in communication with the French Consul at Auckland. Of the others, five are deserters and one is a volunteer, all of whom are being forwarded on to France. The men were met in the harbour by Mr. Macintosh, and during the afternoon the newcomers made themselves acquainted with the City sights. This morning the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) will place a special car at the disposal of the Consul to give the visitors arun round.