PRISON AND CAMP

Evening Star, Issue 23122, 23 November 1938, Page 20

PRISON AND CAMP

N.Z. YOUTHS ON GERMAN TRAMP , DISILLUSIONING ADVENTURE [Per United Press Association.l WELLINGTON, Nov. 22. Two New Zealand brothers who signed articles on a German tramp steamer in' Wellington last April with a view to seeing the world and leading a life of adventure have had their ambitions realised. They circumnavigated the globe, were sentenced to-14 days’ imprisonment in Durban for illegally entering South Africa, they deserted their ship there and were confined ini an immigration camp for 60 days before their trial, and, after serving their sentence awaiting the arrival of : a German ship to take them out of the country, they finally reached Hamburg only to be “returned ” to New Zealand by the German Governmeftt. Thoroughly disillusioned, they arrived by the Awatea on Monday from Sydney, penniless and with only one thought, to settle down to work again in the. Dominion. ' . . ; . During the course of their short career of adventure, these boys served in three German ships. They knew a New Zealand lad who had sailed on a German tramp, the Naumburg, and against his advice they joined that ship in Wellington last April as trimmers. They signed on for the trip to South Africa, the United States. South America and back to New Zealand at £9 15s a month. They disliked the conditions and could get no advance against their wages in Australia, but on reaching South Africa they were each paid £1 ss. On the eve of the vessel sailing for the next port the boys “bolted” and “hitch-hiked to Johannesburg, taking three days on the journey of over 500 miles. “ We did not have a chance of getting work in Johannesburg,” said the elder brother, Leslie Crawford, this morning. “We had an idea that we v/ould be able to get employment in the mines. In the first place we had to undergo a medical examination in order to have issued to us a ‘red ticket ’ or pass to say that we were medically fit. We soon discovered that a Britisher was not wanted. “As we could not compete and were without any money by now, we went to the police station and gave ourselves up.” said Louis Crawford. “ The first German ship to reach Durban after we had served our term was the Hanau,” said Leslie Crawford, taking up the story again “ This time we did not have to work. We were passengers quartered with the crew, We did not like the food and were longing to get back to New Zealand. On August 27 we reached Antwerp and were immediately taken ashore and placed in a police lock-up. After six hours we were escorted to the wharf again and transferred to the Bitterfeld bound for Australia.”