"RADIO" ARREST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 244, 15 October 1935, Page 8

"RADIO" ARREST.

ON R.M.S. NIAGARA. VIGILANCE OF DETECTIVE. NAVAL MAN'S ADVENTURE. A Royal Marine belonging to one of the ships of the New Zealand Squadron is at present detained 011 hoard H.M.S. Philomel, awaiting trial on charges of desertion from his ship, and theft. The story of his arrest on R.M.S. Niagara while en route from Auckland to Sydney and the unusual circumstances which led up to the arrest by members of a naval party proceeding to Sydney, were disclosed to-dav. He was arrested "by radio," largely as the result of the vigilance of an Auckland detective. On Tuesday, October 1, the particular detective was on duty at the gangway of the Niagara shortly before the ship's departure for Sydney. He noticed a smartly-dressed young man with a ticket f'tr Sydney. There was something about the young man which caused the detective to question him. He looked uneasy. Questions were asked and answers given and after a few minutes the passenger who was about to depart for Australia allegedly confessed that he was a deserter from one of His Majesty's ships of war. By this time the Niagara was ready to sail. The detective had no warrant or- other authority to detain him, but later he communicated with the naval authorities at Devon port. It was soon established that the passenger's description tallied with that of a Royal Marine who had allegedly deserted his ship. Realising that a number of naval ratings had also left by the Niagara for Sydney to undergo a course of special instruction at the Sydney naval base, the commander at Devonport got into wireless communication with the man in charge of the party and instructed him to take charge o'f the deserting marine. This was done, and on arrival of the Niagara at Sydney he was taken to the naval dockyard there where he remained until the Wanganella sailed for Auckland last week. On arrival at Auckland the man was met by the detective who had farewelled him, was arrested oil a charge of theft and later handed over to the naval authorities to be dealt with.