CAST ADRIFT ON A RAFT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 93, 13 January 1921, Page 5

CAST ADRIFT ON A RAFT

A ROTO ROA ADVENTURE,

An exciting sea adventure, which ended unromantically in the Auckland Police Court was the experience of an inmate confined at the inebriates’ home on Roto Roa Island. The man, says the “Herald," is serving a term of two years on the island, and on Sunday embarked on a small raft he had made, ostensibly with the intention of indulging in a short fishing excursion. Unfortunately his frail craft drifted into a strong current, and was carried through the night until its frightened occupant’ was cast, in a very wet and miserable condition, on the rocks of Pakatoa Island, where is situated the reformatory for women inebriates. He immediately made for the first light ho could see, and handed himself over to the superintendent of the home' He was brought before Mr. E. C. Cutten. S.M., at the. Police Court, on a charge of attempting to escape from Koto Roa Island, but .the police matte it plain that the accused’s story was not in the least doubted, and that the Police Court proceedings were solely instituted as a warning to accused’s companions. • The accused pleaded guilty to the charge, but the Magistrate said ’he was satisfied that bis intentions had been harmless, and confined his verdict to a conviction and a warning.