THE SHIRKERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 January 1916, Page 7

THE SHIRKERS.

ARRIVAL AT 'FRISCO. I EX-fIEW ZEALANDERS EXPLAIN THEMSELVES. When the steamer Moana left Wellington for San Francisco early last month, the passengers included some fifty young men who were hastening away lest they should be called upon to render military service. A cablegram received later recorded the arrival of these gentlemen in San Francisco, and indicated that they had been boasting of their prowess in haying evaded the New Zealand authorities and concealed the purpose of their journey to the United States. They had confessed with apparent pride that they had left British soil lest they should be required to fight in its defence. The truth was that these men had left before the permit system was introduced, and that no steps had been taken by Jht New ZeAland Government to prevent their departure. inquiries made aboard the Moana after the arrival of the vessel in Wellington on Wednesday elicited some additional information on the subject. It appears that the "runaways," as they were called, had not very much to say on the voyage. They seemed to be diffident about discussing their proceedings in the past and their plans for the future- But when they had reached San Francisco and had got the ears of the American reporters, some of them became very talkative indeed. They posed as heroes who had fled from military tyranny to the land of freedom, and were ready to tell everybody who cared to listen all about their daring escape from the clutches of the army authorities in New Zealand. They mentioned that they intended to remain in the United States. The young men obtained some brief notoriety in San Francisco. They were regarded with favor by the local representatives of those curious peaq» organisations which flourish under the Stars and Stripes, and which have been represented in Europe lately by the Ford mission. But travellers who arrived by th* Moana said that the ex-New Zealandera dropped out of sight. At least one San Francisco newspaper suggested that, British citizens who had left their country ,in time of trouble were not Jikely to be particularly useful to the •UatUd State*-