A STRANGE STORY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 253, 22 July 1936, Page 6

A STRANGE STORY

Man Who Stowed Away On Niagara ‘WANTED’ AT WELLINGTON By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, July 21. 'A strange story concerning a motor engineer, Theodore Walter Klcinig, aged 10, who walked aboard the Niagara at Sydney in overalls on July 10 and walked off the ship at Auckland yesterday clad in a smart lounge suit under arrest, was told in the Magistrate’s Court this morning when Kleinig was charged with stowing away and landing in New Zealand as a prohibited immigrant. He pleaded not guilty. Sub-Inspector Fox said that accused succeeded in impressing the ship’s officers to the extent of allowing him to travel first class. A tourist named Rector supplied him with a suit. The purser gave evidence of finding accused in Rector’s cabin recovering from a drinking bout. Accused wanted witness to send a radio message asking for £5OOO to be sent to him. The message would have cost £l6 to send, and as the address was unknown the message was not sent After accused had asked a number of questions, Sub-Inspector Fox said that part of accused’s prison term included a period in a mental hospital. “It appears as though that is where he ought to be now by the way he is going on,” commented the magistrate, Mr. W. R. McKean. The chief officer gave evidence that accused made so much noise that passengers complained. Anthony Rector, an elderly retired officer, told of meeting Kleinig in Sydney shortly before the ship sailed. Accused came into his cabin and had a drink, and before they realised it the ship had sailed. Witness said that he offered to pay accused’s fare, but accused said that he could handle his own affairs. Witness came to the conclusion that Kleinig was a man who really needed friendship and that he was convinced he had not been “had” by accused. J. Mclntosh," Collector of Customs, prosecuting Kleinig fjjr landing as a prohibited immigrant, said that accused had a criminal record, and was only discharged from prison in Australia two months ago, after serving two years and a half.

The accused: That is not so. I was only in for nine months. I took the blame and kept others out. While I was in prison they took my clothes and everything. That is why I went aboard the Niagara in overalls. The magistrate said it looked as though Rector had been imposed upon. He accepted Rector’s evidence on the first charge and would dismiss it, but he would remand accused on the second charge. “What for, and on what grounds?” asked accused. Sub-Inspector Fox:’ One of the grounds is that you are wanted on warrant from Wellington for a false pretence in 1926. Accused: I remember that I was robbed right and left by the Government because I was too straight. They had to get rid of me. Accused was remanded for a week. Bail in a surety of £lOO was allowed.