MILITARY DEFAULTERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17934, 30 October 1918, Page 6

MILITARY DEFAULTERS.

ARRESTED AT LAKE WAKATIPII [Per Pribs Association.] " INVEROARGILL, October 29. Four military defaulters, almost in rags and tatters, were brought to the police station to-night, having been arrested at Elfin Bay, Lake Wakatipu, on Monday For months these men led tho police a dance, having the nm of thousands of, .miles of wild bush country between Lake Wakatipu and the West Coast. They have been living largely on birds and fish, and for six months havo had no news of the outside world. The party originally numbered six, but the life proved too trying for two of them, and they re* turned to civilisation, being arrested. Tho other four stuck it out, but by degrees found the struggle too weary* ing, and being completely out of pro< visions wore driven near the haunts of men and were discovered at 4 a.m. on Monday. They were not armed, and submitted without resistance. All" belong to Christchurch, though one a{ tho timo of his escape was a civil sex* vant at Wangamu. One escaped front Trentham Camp. The men will be handed over to the military authorities to-morrow.