MIGRANT STOWAWAYS

Hokitika Guardian, 10 April 1929, Page 1

MIGRANT STOWAWAYS

WAN i’KD TO LEAVE N.Z. (By Telegraph—Per Proas Association. , WELLINGTON, April 5). Eoiir men, Waller Ycarsley, motor mechanic, aged 21, .lames Higgins, seaman, 2!), Clarence B iehardson, a butcher, .'II, and William .J. Brinkman, lahonrer. aged 211, were charged Iks lore .Mr Page, S..M. to-day, with stowing away on the Tairoa when she left, Wellington for England on April drd. They wire transferred to the Tainui at sea, and hronglit hack to Wellington. .Mr O’Leary, for the Shaw Savill Co., said the men had conducted themselves well on hotli vessels, and worked well. The paint lie wished to stress was that if one of the accused had escaped in an American port, where the immigration laws wore very strict, the ship might have been held up indefinitely until he was found. The Compjiny also would have been obliged to enter into a substantial bond on liehalf of each of the men.

In repiv to a question by the Bench, two of the accused said they had been fn New Zealand for a few years but could not get work. They had each tried to work their passage hack to England, but were not able to sign on a ship. They wanted to get back to England somehow, where they had at least a home ,to go to. They had no intention of getting oil’ at an American port.

Each of (lie accused was fined £5 in default M days’ ininrisoiinicnt.