ABOUT TWO BOYS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 420, 1 February 1909, Page 3

ABOUT TWO BOYS.

an Extraordinary story.

i 'When'-.the first express, pulled .up.at, Teinuka last his attention drawn; to two youths' alighting from the train. Not'-;being satisfied .withvtheir' explanations/: he accompanied 'them to."the police .station, '.where: an ' extraordinary .'tale was told.-., i , ':. .'",': ■'■'.':.'..; :\-. : -, ■•■■:.■'- ",, ,'.^--. : -'. .' The: two:' boys. ■.'•sta'ted.. : .that, "they"' leftWaihi. ..about'; .."three'! weeks' agp, ■ with-, put 'apprising, their. , fathers' (who are miners employed in thjrWajhi mines); , with; the. intention~;6f visiting . a -lady.-at .Sydenham, whom' one , of- the boys olaimed.a?:his aunt; ■iWith the , sum ; of£2 25.-in'their possession and fairly: cladj they > set.out for. Wellington, via the Main Trunk';-line,, and --iai' the-past three:-weeks have':been occupied in making their, journey '. south, J part of: which .was made oh : foot and,part-by rail;-.-.They.relate:their experiencesdn the King Gbuntry', and .state that tliey slept in-workers'- huts, and , in open 'it-nicks' at , -night,. ; and r where -possible*, made' journeys-.- on: foot. ■ Their appearance,;indicated ,theitruth of :the; story regarding their wallcing;)feats,: as> one boy, was' * practically bootless.*. They , :stated- that they paid-' their.i fares', of -*.6s. :';2d; each - from Wellington' to Lyttelton,? /and...; walked over 'the . hill, to Christchurch.from the port. On reaching the .• city it* appears ; they made -no';effort to' locate the aunt',- but became imbuod ■ "with a desire.to;Tisit.Timani. This they-endeav-pured-,todo;on Monday morning,' and .-with 'a'-single'.-ticket''between the two took train for the* southern .town. After leaving Ashburton: the.-; guard .noticed ..something."peciiliar.m'.the'maiittM* of the:boys and the game was up, for, iri.passing the '.ticket: tovhis "pa 1 , , ,, the smaller boy let 'it drop."'•*. The guard put off,:the: R train,;.and.'they appear to -have walked : tbrEahgitata, sleep-' ing .out>all:: night iri'.a: truck. >: Having .sufficient to; purchase ■'■ a : .ticket- to Timaru 'they did: so,-;but. were captured: in alighting' at Temukai.; the. action of the boys;in running away-exciting the' constable's -curiosity; They give their age as H.years'j* and• certainly,do not ■ look ; it.. One boy. said'ho vhad been working;for "a baker for : 18^months.- :They had '-no'dinkier-'or'•' tea : .pn Monday, : ':arid /only a> little ■ tea"-' oh* Sunday,' and ''■ indeed--.,.they enough.■' ■■ -'. '': ••;.■'■ .As charge :against the boyn the 'police.,:after'consultation; .commiiiicatsd with- the inspector at Tirnaru, aiid the : boys were forwarded there in the afternoon tobe dealt with. -It. is understood that the boys expressed ■their willingness to-. be'lsent to their homes.- -. The- mysterious ''part ,-bf -the story is that' no . boys . are..■ apparently-'re-from Waihi. , : : -, : . .