“NOT UNDERSTOOD”

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 117, 15 February 1928, Page 15

“NOT UNDERSTOOD”

— GERMAN LANGUAGE PUZZLES COURT CASE REMANDED Surrounded by three or four policemen, all of whom were doing their best to make English out of German, Eudiefs Andreas, a baker, aged 22, was unable to make anyone understand what he wanted to say in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Sub-Inspector Lander stated that Andreas had stowed away on the Makura at San Francisco on a recent trip, leaving that vessel at Papeete. Ho then stowed away on the Tahiti, and came on to Welliugton, where he was arrested as soon as the ship berthed on Monday. A sergeant of police did his utmost by shouting and making signs to get Andreas to plead either guilty or not guilty to stowing away on the Tahiti from Papeete to Wellington, but without success. Others asked accused had be anything to say to a further charge of being a prohibited immigrant, but he only looked bewildered and confused. “What language you speak, eh?” said a would-be interpreter in uniform to the man in the dock, but Ar.dreas only smiled and said something about German and English. Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell, who was m Court, got someone to inquire if Andreas spoke French, in view of talking to him in that language. Andreas, however, did not speak that tongue or any other tongue known to those present. Mr. E. T. ML McLaurin, inspector of Customs, stated that as the accused had arrived in New Zealand without a permit, he was a prohibited immigrant. The Tahiti was leaving for Sydney in a few hours,' and the 'Department would like to have him deported by that vessel. A policeman who was sHll trying to make Andreas understand, said that the latter said he had paid his way to Paneete from ’Frisco. The Magistrate (Mr. E. Page, S.M.): I would like him to understand what this is all about. I think ho had better be remanded until to-morrow morning so that the services of an an interpreter can be obtained.