PAKATOA ISLAND SENSATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 69, 22 March 1915, Page 6

PAKATOA ISLAND SENSATION.

A VISIT FROM ROTOROANS. TWO MEN IN A BOATWITH SHOVELS FOR OARS. A flutter of excitement was caused amongst 'the women at Pakatoa Island last night when it was discovered, about half-past ten, that there were two men on the island, which, as a Female Inebriates' Home, is sacred to women, with the exception of such administrative males as visit the place officially, and with due ceremony. The disturbing presence of male intruders was announced by a tapping on the windows of some of the living cotiages, and the matron was aroused, and at once comI municnted by telephone with A_jutant I Hays, in charge of the men on fhe adjacent island of Rotoroa. He and his | assistants at once manned a launch and I came across to Pakatoa. where they found two young men, Robert Phair (24) and Daniel Ilebley (22), who were I inmates of the Rotoroa Inebriates' Home, and should have been in bed on I the men's island. j The explanation of their presence was that during the recent gale, one of the boats attached to the Rotoroa institute was swamped, and sank close by tho wharf, and wa s consequently not locked up. as were the oth. r boats every night. Phair and Hebley hnd noticed this, and when evening service was being held on the Island yesterday, they stole down to the shore, righted and bailed out the boat, commandeered a pair of lon™handled shovels for oars, and with these agricultural implements, ploughed the waters of the bay, and eventually got across to the women's island, about a mile away. The two young men were brought before Mr. £ C. Cutten. vS.M.. as a sequel to their moonlight excursion, and were charged that they had attempted to escape from Rotoroa Island. Both of them stated that they bad no intention of escaping, but had" just intended to go for a cruise round the boat \ uay, to vary the montonv of the daily | round, having started away about 7.30 p.m. They had eventually landed on Pakatoa, because it was getting very dark, and they were doubtful of being able to make their way back to Rotoroa. Hebley ndmitted that they were on tbe verandah at the women's quarters, bnt he didn't notice anyone tap at the windows. They knew, he said, that it was against the regulations to take the boat out. His Worship convicted both men and sentenced them to a month's hard labour at Mount Eden, prior to being returned to Rotoroa Island.