A RUSSIAN'S ADVENTURES.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 1 August 1916, Page 4

A RUSSIAN'S ADVENTURES.

1 END IN IMPRISONMENT. ~, A Russian, who had oiad a rather chequered career since landing in t New Zealand some five months or so ' ago came before an Auckland S.M. on a charge of having deserted frcm the ship Kia Ora in December, and on two charges of theft. According to the evidence he was a man of some education and -his own story was that he was in Germany when the war broke out and was for' three months a prisoner of war, but was eventually released, and made his way to London, where his brother-in-law kept a small garage and cycle shop he said. The first thirjg known of him in New Zealand was that he had shipped on the KaS Ora as ft trimmer, and had deserted in December. Some time later be and a companion who were posing as Russian journalists 1 , were arrested in the vicinitp of Rongioutu military camp. They were interned but Scbock was establish .his Russian nationality, aw was set free after two montths' internment. About a fortnight ago ne was arrested on the present charges.

Evidence relating to the theft charge was to the effect, that accused worked for a time at G. Benninjgi's garage, prior to his internment and when inquiries were made concerning Ms nationality and movements it was found that among some goods he ha<f left, with a person in Auckland were a number of motor and cycle accessories, valued at about £3 10s, some of 'which coincided in description with things which had disappeared from Henning's stock. Schock declared that he had brought the things from London with him, but after a considerable amount of evidence had been taken, His iWorship decided to convict, and accuset! was sentenced to six iiicnths' hard labour. It transpired during the hearing that the prisoner had left a wife and two children in London in p4or circumstances. - ■*'