STOWAWAY DESERTERS.

Taihape Daily Times, 6 December 1917, Page 4

STOWAWAY DESERTERS.

BROUGHT BACK FROM AUSTRALIA. WELLINGTON, Dec 5. Three young men, John Larkin,. Robert E. Larkin, and James were charged at the Magistrate’s. Court to-day, with having left the Dominion on November 16 without permits, as required under the war regulations. All pleaded guilty. Inspector Marsack described them as cowardly deserters from the forces.; He stated that they stowed away in the coal bunkers of a steamer bound for Australia, and were not discovered until the vessel Avas well on the voyage. They were brought back toNew Zealand on the same boat. The cost of their passage to and from Australia was deducted by the captain from money found in their possession. Mr McCarthy, S.M., sentenced the men to one month’s hard labour, and ordered them to be handed over to the military authorities at. the end of the term to be tried by court-martial. None of them had gone into camp when ordered.