H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9489, 12 May 1913, Page 2

H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND.

SAILORS TEMPTED TO DESERT. MINISTER'S WARNING. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 11. Ten men were reported to be missing from the. battleship New Zealand when she left Auckland on Saturday. An important statement on the subject was made by the Hon. Herdman to-day. He said information in his possession made it clear that the members of the shipte company were enticed to desert from the service by some emEloyers of labour under promises of. igh wages and their liberty. The men were given plain clothes to enable them to desert.

Mr Herdman stated he knows of instances of men being tempted to desert, who later repented their decision. They had difficulty in returning. Liquor also had been taken on board and given to the men by visitors. He quoted sections of the Naval Discipline Act, 1886, operative in New Zealand, imposing a penalty of £3O for assisting them to ©■scape.

EN ROUTE TO LYTTELTON. AUCKLAND, May 11. u »{*S r a etay of ten days in Au ckland H.M.S. New Zealand left at, nine o clock this morning for Lyttelton. A fair number of people gathered to see the vessel off, but as she returns to Auckland before leaving finally there was no formal demonstration of farewell. CHRISTCHURCH, May 11 To-day at 1.15 p.m. H.M.S. Pyramus, now at Lyttelton, received the following wireless message from the New Zealand : . "Please inform all concerned we shall probably not arrive in time to come up harbour to-morrow forenoon." The harbour excursion to the Heads arranged for to-morrow morning was consequently postponed.

WILL NOT MAKE LYTTELTON TO-DAY.

CHRISTCHURCH, Mav 12. At eight o'clock the New Zealand was 150 miles from Lyttelton Heads. At 10 o'clock the Pyramus received a wireless from Captain Halsey, informing the harbourmaster that there was no chance of her getting to Lyttelton to-day, owing to a heavy southerly galo.

A goodly number of people went through to the port, but had a cold, dreary wait. The general arrangements for the welcome will hold good, but the delay is bound to affect the attendance at the port.