“PLAIN COLD FEET.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1870, 29 August 1918, Page 3

“PLAIN COLD FEET.”

STOWAWAYS BROUGHT BACK.

RENT TO GAOL FOR THREE MONTHS. After the Manuka had sailed from Wellington for Sydney about a. fortnight ago it was found that six military reservists were missing, and it was thought probable that the men had left the Dominion on the Sydney boat. Word was at once sent to the police at Sydney to keep a strict watch on the vessel, and on her arrival the crew and passengers were drafted off, and a three hours’ search revealed the six stowaways. The men were placed on hoard the Mocraki, and were returned to New Zealand on Tuesday. The vessel was met by a posse of police on her arrival at the Glasgow wharf, Wellington, and the men were brought ashore, handcuffed, and, together with a youth who Intel stowed away at Sydney, were lodged for the night in the Central Police Station. /The six men, Jeremiah Courtney (2-i), Bernard Bradley (27), Michael O’Connor (35)j Thomas Peter Prendergast (20), William Albert Collins (30), and Patrick Toohey (2(i), were brought before Mr F. Y. Frazer, S.M., nl the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, yesterday morning, and charged with leaving New Zealand by the Manuka on I7th August without n permit, and stowing away; and James Felix Duffy (18), the youth who slowed away at. Sydney, also stood in the dock to explain why he had .secreted himself on the vessel.

Duffy, whose case was dealt with first, said that he bad been unable to obtain a ship from Sydney, and, hearing that he could probably get a boat at Hobart, stowed away, intending to land at that port, lie offered to obtain the amount of his passage money (£4 10s) from his father’, who resides at Woollooraoloo, if lie was allowed to work his passage back to Australia. The Magistrate remarked that he did not like to send the lad to gaol, but finally decided that he should be detained apart from other prisoners until Saturday, by which time police enquiries will have been made. The other six men, who, physically at least, are apparently fine men, each pleaded guilty. Inspector Marsaek said that each man was also wanted by the military authorities. The Union Steam Ship Company asked that the fares (£9 each) should be paid. Some of the n\e.n had the full amount, one of them having £2B odd. “What is the explanation of this affair?” asked Mr Frazer. “Plain cold feet,” answered the Inspector. “Two of them arc wanted for having deserted from Trentham camp.” “A sturdy-looking crowd of men like you might have been expected to do something better than funk it, as you did,” remarked the Magistrate. On the charge of leaving New Zealand without a permit, each man was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, and on the charges of secreting themselves on the vessel each was convicted and ordered to pay the fare (£9), in default a further month in gaol. Michael O'Connor was further charged, and pleaded guilty to hav-' ing failed to enrol. Inspector Marsack said it was simply a douhleImnking charge. O’Connor had refused to enrol, ami had followed that action up by bolting from tho country. “There is no need to penalise you further,” said his Worship. “Everybody knows about yon now. You will lie convicted and discharged,”