“STRANDED” STRANGERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1922, Page 8

“STRANDED” STRANGERS.

BOYS’ QUEST FOR WORK SYMPATHETIC JUSTICES, A sad story was told by two English boys ,who appeared before the Court at Hamilton on Saturday,, charged with vagrancy. When the train arrived at Frankton from the King Country early this morning they were found asleep in one of the tucks and were given in charge. Both boys pleaded guilty, anft said they had been stewards on the Waimana, but they were discharged at Wellington, where they immediately set out to look for work but failed to find any. As the little mo'ney they’ had: was gradually dwindling they started to tramp the country looking for work. At every farm they passed on the road they inquired for a job. but were given the same reply, and at times found, they had wandered round in a circle. They had been living frugally, and as they had no bed to go to and were tired, they climbed into a railway truck at Otorohanga hoping to get to Auckland, where they thought they might be for- 1 t jnate enough to find work. They said rather pitifully that they did not want high wages so long as they got a home for the winter. They were, they added. very sorry for what had happened, but had come to the end of their resources and did not know what to do. Both produced their discharges, which showed them to possess good characters.

The Bench took a lenient view of the case. Mr. Fow, while pointing out. the gravity of riding on railway trains in this way, said he and hi's colleague sympathised with the defendants and did not feel disposed to Send them to gaol. They were on the threshhold of their career in a strange country and the Bench would like to give them and not hamper them in any way. They would be convicted and discharged, and if they would see him and his colleague later they would arrange for them-te-be boarded until Monday or Tuesday. In the meantime they would see if work could be found for them. The defendants must also do all they could-to find jobs.