IN HASTE TO BE WED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2001, 10 July 1919, Page 4

IN HASTE TO BE WED.

THE GROOM AS A STOWAWAY,

AN EX-SOLDIER’S ADVENTURE

Haste to get married was given as the reason for the action of a young man, Arthur Aylward (27), who had-stowed away on the s.s. Waimarino, on her last trip, in an endeavour to get from Auckland to Sydney. He had shipped at Vancouver on the Niagara as a. steward, giving the chief steward to understand that he desired to be paid off at Sydney. When the Niagara arrived at Auckland the shipping disorganisation was found to be such that, the ship was diverted from the Sydney trip, and Aylward took leg bail. On the day the Waimarino left the harbour for Sydney she developed engine trouble after she had cleared the harbour, and had to return. In the meantime Aylward was discovered hidden away in a vegetable locker, and though. he offered to work his passage, the offer could not be accepted, as the ship was fully maimed. He was told that he would be handed over to the police, but after the Waimarino had put hack to the harbour he escaped by hailing a passing launch and getting a run to the shore. He was endeavouring to get a job on the s.s. Manuka, bound for Sydney, when he was recognised and arrested by Constable Gourley on a charge of having attempted to leave New Zealand without a permit. Tie had about £6O on him, £SO of which was in American currency.

When Aylward came before Mr J. E. Wilson, S.M., he admitted that

he had attempted k) get away without a permit. Mr A. Moody, on the prisoner’s behalf, stated that (he latter was in haste to got back to Australia whore lie wished to.marry a young lady in Adelaide.- Ho had been for 17 months on active service in France with the Canadian forces. His endeavour to conserve his finances was natural in view of the proposed venture in matrimony, but he had worked his passage from Vancouver, and had intended to work Iris way on the Waimarino once the ship had got - clear of New Zealand.

His Worship remarked that even though the war was practically over it was a very necessary precaution to keep a w;jtc]i on persons comingin and going- out of the country, and the prisoner had broken regulations made for that purpose. He would be fined £2,